Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal - Premier League
Viktor Gyokeres has had a mixed start to his Arsenal career (Picture: Getty)
Sweden head coach Graham Potter says he has never had any doubts over Viktor Gyokeres’ quality and the criticism the Arsenal striker has faced is just ‘part of the job’.
Arsenal made it their priority to sign an out-and-out goalscorer last summer after three successive runners-up finishes in the Premier League under Mikel Arteta.
A long list of big-name centre-forwards were linked at the start of the transfer window before the Gunners honed in on a £63.5million deal with Sporting for Gyokeres.
The 27-year-old Sweden international had taken Portuguese football by storm after leaving Coventry City for Lisbon in 2023, netting 97 times in 102 appearances for Sporting in all competitions.
In his opening half-a-season at the Emirates, Gyokeres has struggled to make the same explosive impact, with the attacker scoring in only two of his first nine matches in the Premier League.
An impressive return of eight goals in his last 12 games, though, including a brace in Arsenal’s 4-1 victory over Tottenham, has quietened those doubting Gyokeres’ elite-level credentials for the time being.
However, there is the rather large caveat that seven of Gyokeres’ ten goals in the English top flight have come against the bottom six. He is also yet to find the back of the net versus a team in the top nine in the league.
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Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal - Premier League
The Swede hit back at his critics with a double in Sunday’s north London derby (Picture: Getty)
FBL-WC-2026-EUR-QUALIFIERS-SWE-SLO-PRESSER
Gyokeres is a ‘top player’ and a ‘top person’, says Sweden boss Potter (Picture: Getty)
‘It was very good for him. I think it highlights his character and personality,’ Sweden manager Potter told Sportbladet following Gyokeres’ double in the north London derby.
‘From my perspective, there is no doubt about Viktor. He is a top player, a top person.
‘I think he has contributed to where Arsenal are as a team in all four competitions.
‘Every player sometimes goes through a period where they get a bit of criticism. That’s part of the job.’
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The Swedish national team are sweating over the fitness of three of their star men ahead of their all-important World Cup play-off semi-final against Ukraine in a month’s time.
Dejan Kulusevski is expected to miss the tie due to a knee problem, while both Alexander Isak and Lucas Bergvall are also sidelined and appear unlikely to feature.
‘Right now we’re just keeping our fingers crossed and hopefully we can get some of those guys back,’ Potter said of Sweden’s injury concerns.
‘But if not, we have to find a solution with the guys that are available.’
Sweden v Switzerland - FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier
Gyokeres’ Sweden are hoping to qualify for this year’s World Cup via the play-offs (Picture: Getty)
Asked if he had a message for Arteta regarding Gyokeres’ playing time heading into Sweden’s play-off, the ex-Chelsea manager replied: ‘I don’t think he’ll be particularly interested in what I have to say, to be honest
‘I don’t blame him. I think he has a lot on his mind.’
Gyokeres will no doubt be eager to carry his goalscoring form from the derby into Arsenal’s clash with Chelsea this weekend.
But facing the media shortly after Arsenal’s defeat of Spurs, the striker admitted there was still some room for improvement in his display.
Asked if he felt it was his best performance yet in Arsenal colours, Gyokeres replied: ‘In some aspects, I think it was a good one. In some others, I think it could’ve done a few bits better.
‘It was a tough game. I think we showed much better things on the pitch today.’
While Gyokeres was reluctant to pat himself on the back, Arteta heaped praise on his marquee summer signing and felt the the striker’s showing was perhaps his ‘most complete’ yet.
‘For me, the best, the most complete and especially when we need him most,’ the Arsenal head coach told reporters.
‘That is when big players and big clubs have to stand up when you are needed.’
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