Mikel Arteta praise for Viktor Gyokeres as Arsenal striker ends goal drought
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Arsenal's Viktor Gyokeres hugging manager Mikel Arteta as he is substituted during the 4-0 Champions League win over Atletico Madrid at the Emirates on Oct 21.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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LONDON – One of the few clouds hanging over Arsenal this season has been the lack of goals from the big-money centre forward Viktor Gyokeres, but he erased some doubts with a timely return to form by scoring twice in the 4-0 defeat of Atletico Madrid on Oct 21.
Gyokeres, who Arsenal signed for £64 million (S$110.7 million)
The Swede was all smiles as he was substituted late on and manager Mikel Arteta said the 27-year-old fully deserved the ovation he received from the Arsenal fans.
“I think he deserved it because everything that we were seeing in terms of what he was bringing to the team and how much he was helping the team in many areas, apart from scoring goals in the last few weeks,” Arteta told reporters.
“There was no debate about that. It was about keeping that belief in himself, that emotional state that he can enjoy and play freely. I look at his teammates as well, in the picture and the video, they are all so happy for him.”
His opening goal was a messy affair as his weak shot dribbled into the net via a deflection, while his second came from yet another Arsenal set piece with Gabriel Magalhaes heading a corner into the path of the Sweden international.
“He makes us a much better team. I think we’ve become much more unpredictable. He’s so physical, the way he presses the ball, holds the ball, that’s phenomenal,” Arteta said.
“He’s scored two very different ones today, and hopefully he starts to get some momentum and a good run of goals.”
Gyokeres now has five for the season, including three in the English Premier League, and was clearly relieved to be back on target.
“(It’s reward) for the team, but of course, me as well,” he said of the win that maintained Arsenal’s 100 per cent start in the Champions League.
“I do my best all the time, work hard and contribute with different stuff. It’ll come sooner or later.”
Atletico remain without an away win all season and the manner of the Spanish side’s collapse after a competitive opening hour will concern Diego Simeone.
Said the coach: “I would say they are the best team we have faced this season. They compete so well, they run and they run, and they have quality all over the pitch.”
Another clean sheet means Arsenal have still only conceded three times in 12 games in all competitions this season.
Julian Alvarez twice could have put the visitors ahead, as he failed to make the most of a poor David Raya clearance in the first half and then hit the bar from outside the box early in the second period.
Eberechi Eze’s deflected effort also came off the woodwork in Arsenal’s best attempt of the first 45 minutes.
But as so often in recent times, Arteta’s men were able to rely on their strength from set pieces to make the breakthrough.
Declan Rice’s in-swinging free kick was perfectly weighted for the stooping Gabriel to power a header into the bottom corner.
Myles Lewis-Skelly has played second fiddle to Riccardo Calafiori for most of the season but highlighted the wealth of options available to Arteta with a driving run to set up the second goal.
Lewis-Skelly picked out Gabriel Martinelli, who curled into the far corner for his third goal in as many Champions League games, before Gyokeres netted his brace.
Said Atletico defender David Hancko of conceding four times in 13 minutes: “We were just looking around and you feel like you’re in the game, you’re going for the points and it’s coming to the last part of the game, but then it’s bam, bam, bam, bam. Suddenly the game is over.”
Elsewhere, Harvey Barnes scored twice to help Newcastle United inflict more Champions League pain on Jose Mourinho’s Benfica with a 3-0 win at St James’ Park.
Anthony Gordon fired the Magpies in front as Benfica remain without a point in Europe’s elite competition this season.
“I think once we scored the second goal, you sort of saw the real us, what we can be,” said Newcastle manager Eddie Howe. “I thought we were excellent from that point onwards.” REUTERS, AFP
