GYOKERES BRACE EARNS BOSS' PRAISE

Arteta hopes Swedish striker can build on momentum after nine-match drought ends

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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) from Sporting Lisbon, poached his side’s third and fourth goals to end a nine-game streak without netting for club and country.

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.”