Viktor Gyokeres has opened his account as an Arsenal player.
The Sweden international has been in the headlines all summer as the Gunners struggled to get him to the Emirates.
Sporting CP’s negotiating tactics annoyed Arsenal, but Andrea Berta still managed to get the deal over the line in July.
After losing his first two games at Arsenal – against Tottenham and Villarreal – Gyokeres fired the Gunners to victory against Athletic Club on Saturday.
Portuguese media deliver verdict on Viktor Gyokeres after Arsenal beat Athletic Club
Mikel Arteta fielded what is arguably his strongest Arsenal XI against Athletic Club.
Viktor Gyokeres got the nod from the start for the second game in a row, and this time, the Swede had the Gunners’ first-choice midfield behind him.
Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard bossed the game in the middle of the park, and it was the former who set up the Swede.
The former Real Sociedad man whipped in a brilliant cross, and Gyokeres met the ball with a brilliant header to score his first-ever goal for Arsenal.
We are delighted that the 27-year-old is off the mark in the famous red and white, and it looks like his performance has also impressed people at Portuguese media outlet Record.
They wrote: “The Viktor Gyokeres we saw at the Emirates this Saturday afternoon, helping Arsenal win 3-0 against Athletic Bilbao, was a very close version of the one who left his mark on Sporting fans and Portuguese football.
“More adapted to the new reality, the Swedish forward portrayed a different image than he had left in the first two games and was truly one of the best on the pitch, particularly his goal in the 34th minute, his first in his new jersey.
“After a well-measured cross from Martin Zubimendi, the Nordic forward rose to the first and, with a beautiful technical move, headed the ball into the back of the net.
“Two minutes later, Saka scored, making it 2-0, with the former Sporting star also involved in the play. He was the Gunners’ offensive reference point and gradually managed to make his mark with his typical runs, and in the second half, he came very close to scoring a brace, had it not been for the ball hitting the post after another header.
“Gyokeres is thus refining his aim, about a week before the Premier League kickoff against Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United.”
Viktor Gyokeres will make three Arsenal players even better
Gyokeres was fantastic for Arsenal against Athletic Club.
The Swede caused the Spanish side’s defence all sorts of problems with his movement and physicality, and that is good news for the players around him.
The fact that Gyokeres attracts the two centre-backs towards him opens up space for the likes of Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka – that was evident in the second goal.
To add to that, Gyokeres’ runs in behind are also good news for Odegaard, who is at his best when he is threading those eye-of-the-needle passes.
There have been some concerns over whether the Swede can deliver for Arsenal. His performance against Athletic Club showed that he can.
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