Mikel Arteta has insisted Viktor Gyokeres makes Arsenal ‘a much better team’ after the forward scored twice in the club’s 4-0 win over Atletico Madrid.
Gyokeres bundled in two close-range goals as Arsenal thrashed the Spanish side at the Emirates. After a goalless first half, the North Londoners scored four times in a 12-minute burst to sink Atleti and maintain their perfect record in this season’s Champions League.
Arteta admitted Gyokeres’s goals were the ‘icing on the cake’ as the forward ended a seven-game run without a goal for Arsenal.
The Swedish striker has faced criticism since his arrival from Sporting Lisbon but Arteta has backed the summer recruit to start scoring with regularity.
“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, there was no debate about that,” said Arteta.
“It was about keeping that belief in himself, that emotional state that he can enjoy and play freely.
“I think he has certainly done that today, [he had] a big smile on his face.
“Look at his team-mates as well, in the picture and the video, they are all so happy for him because he fully deserves it. All of us [appreciate Gyokeres] because he makes us a much better team. I think we’ve become much more unpredictable.
Two goals in three minutes for Gyokeres 😤@Arsenal pic.twitter.com/e7lf33HJt8
— Premier League India (@PLforIndia) October 21, 2025
“He’s so physical, opens the spaces for everyone. The way he presses the ball, holds the ball, it’s just phenomenal.
“And then the icing on the cake and the biggest thing that we’re going to debate about him is goals.
“He’s scored two very different ones today, and hopefully he starts to get some momentum and a good run of goals.”
Read – The ex-Premier League players dominating Sunday League Vets
See more – Why Nottingham Forest back Dyche to reverse Postecoglou disaster
