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In the event that Viktor Gyökeres goes on to become the forward that all Arsenal fans have been hoping for, then maybe they will recall this night as the point his fortune changed. According to the classic forward’s saying, it doesn’t matter how they find the net.

On the back of nine matches for his team and national side without a goal and scrutiny increasing on the man brought in for a substantial sum in the close season, a huge wave of relief washed over the Emirates Stadium when Gyökeres tapped in from point-blank via a ricochet off David Hancko during a electrifying second half when Mikel Arteta’s side demonstrated once more that they are serious contenders this season.

Dramatic Turnaround in Form

Shortly after and to the joy of the stadium crowd, his face-covering routine inspired by the villain Bane in Batman, whose catchphrase is “I was ignored before the mask,” was showcased again after forcing home from Gabriel Magalhães’s header following a Declan Rice corner to seal the victory against Atlético Madrid. On the sidelines, Arteta raised his fists and motioned emphatically in the direction of his star striker, of whom he has spent the previous 14 days insisting the finest displays lay ahead.

“Such is soccer, and we shouldn’t anticipate a player to change contexts and have him replicate his form immediately,” the Arsenal manager stated in a discussion with the Spanish newspaper Marca prior to the match. “Circumstances vary greatly. All players in the world need one thing: their state of mind to be at its peak. I advised Viktor in our initial discussion that the No 9 I wanted for Arsenal was someone who could stay resilient when they went six or eight games without scoring. Otherwise, you’re not suited at this standard. That’s why I have a strong confidence in him.”

Early Challenges

It was as a 14-year-old playing for IFK Aspudden-Tellus, who are situated in Stockholm’s outskirts, that Gyökeres first realised he would have to toughen up to thrive in his chosen profession. Rebuked after a disappointing display by a coach who said he was not mentally equipped to make it in elite soccer, he ultimately switched from a wide player into a striker after joining Brommapojkarna two years later. “That comment resonated and I think about it often,” he said not long ago.

Difficult Phase

Goal-shy since the victory against Nottingham Forest here back on 13 September, this has been one of the most testing periods of his career. Gyökeres was heavily criticised after Sweden were overcome by Kosovo and Switzerland in World Cup qualifiers in the previous 14 days, with one newspaper labeling his display against the latter as “invisible.”

He recorded an astounding 54 goals in 52 appearances throughout the season for Sporting last season, so the difficulty is obviously not his finishing. As the manager has often noted, his overall contribution has provided additional depth in the final third, even if the chances have not come to him.

Match Highlights

This was certainly in evidence during the opening period of this high‑quality encounter between two teams that had originally looked evenly matched. There was a feeling that Gyökeres was pressing too much to impress as he charged around like a disruptive presence during the early stages. An Eberechi Eze shot that glanced on to the bar inside the first few moments was originated from some sharp footwork on the edge of the Atlético area that skillfully evaded from his marker, José María Giménez.

The Uruguayan has the aura of a man who could start a fight in an empty bar but is deeply knowledgeable at this stage compared with Gyökeres, who is participating in just his second Champions League campaign after scoring a hat-trick for Sporting against Manchester City last season that likely played a key role to persuading Arteta to take the plunge.

Unyielding Drive

However having attracted criticism that he was carrying a few too many pounds after being absent for preparations in Portugal, Arsenal’s noticeably leaner striker harried all opponents as if his life depended on it. Giménez was drawn into conceding a yellow card when Gyökeres collided with him on the edge of the Atlético area having merely stood his ground. Gabriel Martinelli saw his effort disallowed for offside after converting Bukayo Saka’s cross and it did not happen until later that the Swede had his initial opportunity.

A exquisite touch from Martinelli created an ideal chance, only for Jan Oblak to promptly save an weak effort towards goal. At that point it must have felt like the opening goal would never come. But the dam burst when Gabriel scored with a header Rice’s free-kick and Gyökeres was able to take full advantage as the man in the mask made his mark. “Hopefully this is the commencement of a prolific period,” said a delighted Arteta.