Arsenal hold a three-point lead at the top of the Premier League table. Their rise has shown the silent confidence spreading around the Emirates this season. The north Londoners look settled, composed, and sharper than they have been in years. Their summer work in the transfer market drove much of this progress. Eight new players joined, and each added something different. Viktor Gyökeres stood out as the main arrival.
The recent 1-0 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage showed how Arsenal grind out results even when they don’t play their best. Leandro Trossard scored the winner, but once again Gyökeres failed to find the net. Many outside voices have started questioning the Swede’s impact.
Inside the club, though, everyone stays calm. Mikel Arteta made it clear before the Fulham match that he doesn’t worry about his striker’s goal numbers. The manager praised the forward’s selfless movement, strength in duels, and habit of dragging defenders away from the wingers.
Alan Shearer, speaking on [BBC’s Match of the Day](https://x.com/BBCMOTD/status/1979676043628716426), shared the same view. He said the striker’s runs behind defences open spaces for others. That differs from last season when Kai Havertz or Mikel Merino often dropped deep.
The former England captain believes Gyökeres has already improved Arsenal’s attacking setup, and also said that the goals will come soon enough. For now, the Swede has scored three times in the Premier League. He hasn’t scored in Europe or the Carabao Cup yet. Still, Gyokeres keeps working hard every match. Arsenal look ready to give him time to find his rhythm in the Premier League.
_“Because last season, you had (Kai) Havertz or (Mikel) Merino coming short, and that’s easier for teams to defend against, but when you’re running the other way, they get deeper and deeper – that then opens the space for others to play. So I think from that point of view, he has improved Arsenal.”_
_“I think he will get the goals, obviously nowhere near as many as he got last season, but he will get the goals with the number of chances Arsenal create, he will, and his numbers should improve.”_
Arsenal chased Viktor Gyökeres for a long time. They wanted a centre-forward who could possess strength with finishing skill. The Swedish striker fit that profile perfectly. His record at Sporting CP told the full story. Gyokeres scored 97 goals in 102 games and proved how clinical he was in front of goal. Mikel Arteta saw him as the finisher who could finally convert the many chances Arsenal create.
Arteta also admired his physical qualities. The Swede’s power, speed, and relentless running gave the team a new edge. He held the ball up, ran into channels, and handled pressure with ease. Injuries to forwards hurt Arsenal in past seasons, so Gyökeres’s consistency at Sporting gave Arteta confidence. Arsenal signed him to bring balance. They wanted reliability, strength, and goals in one player.
Right now, his numbers don’t match his past record. Still, he looks like a player building a solid base for what’s ahead. The goals will come, just as Shearer predicted. Once they do, Arsenal’s attack could finally reach the level Arteta has been chasing.