Arteta Confident Arsenal Are Unlocking Gyokeres' Full Potential
Mikel Arteta has declared that Arsenal are firmly on "the right trajectory" to fully harness the capabilities of striker Viktor Gyokeres, following the Swedish international's recent outstanding performances. The 27-year-old forward, who joined the Premier League leaders from Sporting Lisbon during the previous summer transfer window, initially experienced a slow adaptation period but has since exploded into form, demonstrating his clinical finishing ability.
Gyokeres' Impressive Goal-Scoring Form
Since the beginning of 2026, Gyokeres has found the net eight times across all competitions, showcasing his growing influence within the Arsenal setup. His tally includes ten Premier League goals this season, which already surpasses the total achieved by any Arsenal player during the entirety of the previous campaign. Most notably, Gyokeres delivered a match-winning performance in last weekend's North London derby, scoring twice against Tottenham Hotspur to secure a vital victory.
Arteta explained the striker's development, stating: "I think one thing leads to another. When you score the first one or the performances are good, you have more time with your team-mates, you understand the games, the opponent, the league better. Everything helps." The Arsenal manager emphasized that Gyokeres possesses "incredible" qualities as a striker, but acknowledged that both player and team need to continue developing their understanding of each other's patterns and movements.
Training Ground Impact and Self-Expectations
Arteta revealed that Arsenal defenders find training sessions against Gyokeres particularly challenging, describing the experience as a "nightmare" due to his physical presence and technical ability. This testament to his quality underscores why the club invested significantly in his acquisition. When questioned about the striker's confidence levels, Arteta suggested this was primarily a matter for Gyokeres himself, but highlighted the forward's demanding personal standards and high self-expectations as driving factors behind his improvement.
Title Challenge and Chelsea Preparation
Arsenal now prepare to host Chelsea on Sunday, aiming to extend their five-point lead at the Premier League summit over Manchester City, who hold a game in hand. The comprehensive victory over Tottenham has strengthened their position in what promises to be a tense title race. Despite Chelsea's poor recent record against Arsenal—winless in their last eight Premier League encounters with three draws and five losses—Arteta insisted historical statistics would not influence his team's preparation.
"What we've done two weeks ago or two years ago is irrelevant, because every game and context is different," Arteta stated. "The players might change, the mood of the teams can be in a different state or what is at stake is different, and we are prepared."
Ultimate Premier League Ambition
Arteta remains acutely aware of the ultimate prize at stake: a Premier League title that has eluded Arsenal despite three consecutive seasons finishing as runners-up. "When you finish like this you only want to be first. That's it," he concluded. "That's the aim. Always get better, always try to excel the possibilities of the team." With Gyokeres now firing consistently and the team performing strongly, Arsenal's trajectory appears promising as they pursue domestic glory.
