Mikel Arteta says Viktor Gyokeres has “the biggest smile on his face” after ending his recent goal drought with a brace in Arsenal’s 4-0 win over Atletico Madrid.
Arsenal scored all four of their goals during a 13-minute period in the second half, with Gabriel Magalhaes and Gabriel Martinelli both netting before Gyokeres’ three-minute brace.
It was a victory that saw Arsenal move third in the Champions League table, one of only three teams currently with a perfect record in the competition.
The Sweden international scored his first goals for Arsenal in major European competition, while he has now scored nine goals across his 10 home games across spells with the Gunners and Sporting CP.
In fact, Gyokeres scored more than once in a Champions League game for the first time since November last year for Sporting, on his way to a hat-trick against Arsenal.
And Arteta was thrilled that his striker ended his run of seven games without a goal, and hopes it will spur him on to a hot streak.
“Delighted as he fully deserved it. The work rate he brings to the team is outstanding,” Arteta told Amazon Prime.
“We value a lot of things that he does for the team, and it was the biggest smile on his face, and look at his team-mates.
“Hopefully, this is the start of some beautiful sequences.”
Arsenal are the seventh side in the Champions League to reach 100 wins in the competition and the third English side to do so, after Manchester United (125) and Chelsea (102).
Since returning to the Champions League in 2023-24, Arsenal have won all of their home games by an aggregate score of 27-0.
Arteta’s side are in fine form this season, having won each of their last six games in all competitions, only enjoying longer runs under the Spaniard in October 2022 and August 2024 (both eight matches), but Gyokeres insists they are taking each game as it comes.
“I am very pleased. They had some good opportunities, but I think we controlled it overall,” the Swede told UEFA.
“To score four and keep a clean sheet again is very good. We always keep going. We do the things right when we defend, and when we get the chances, we are extremely strong in taking those.
“Both [my] goals were great. I try to do my best all the time and work hard, contribute with different stuff, and the goals would have come sooner or later.
“We want to do well, we want to win football matches, but there’s a long journey to go. We will take it game-by-game, even if that sounds boring.”