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In the event that Viktor Gyökeres develops into the attacker that each Arsenal followers have been wishing for, then possibly they will recall this night as the juncture his fortune changed. As the old striker’s mantra goes, it doesn’t matter how they find the net.

On the back of nine matches for club and country without a goal and expectations rising on the man acquired for a hefty fee in the summer, a huge wave of relief engulfed the Emirates Stadium when Gyökeres scuffed home from point-blank via a ricochet off David Hancko during a pulsating second half when Mikel Arteta’s side proved yet again that they mean business this season.

Stunning Reversal in Luck

Shortly after and to the excitement of the stadium crowd, his Bane-inspired gesture borrowed from the villain Bane in Batman, whose famous line is “I was ignored before the mask,” was given another airing after kneeing in from Gabriel Magalhães’s header following a Declan Rice corner to finish the demolition against Atlético Madrid. On the sidelines, Arteta raised his fists and gestured animatedly in the direction of his new centre forward, of whom he has spent the last fortnight insisting the finest displays lay ahead.

“This is football, and we must not assume a player to switch environments and have him do the same thing instantly,” the Arsenal manager remarked in a conversation with the Spanish newspaper Marca ahead of the fixture. “Things are very different. All players in the world need one thing: their state of mind to be at its best. I told Viktor in our first meeting that the No 9 I desired at Arsenal was someone who could hold up mentally when they faced a goal drought without scoring. Failing that, you’re not suited at this standard. That’s why I have a great belief in him.”

Early Challenges

When he was just 14 playing for IFK Aspudden-Tellus, who are situated in Stockholm’s southside districts, that Gyökeres first realised he would have to develop a thick skin to thrive in his chosen profession. Admonished after a disappointing display by a coach who said he lacked the mindset to excel in professional play, he ultimately switched from a winger into a striker after joining Brommapojkarna two years later. “That one stuck with me and I still remember it today,” he said not long ago.

Challenging Spell

Without a goal since the victory against Nottingham Forest in London back on 13 September, this has been one of the toughest stretches of his professional life. Gyökeres was heavily criticised after Sweden were overcome by Kosovo and Switzerland in World Cup qualifiers in the past fortnight, with one newspaper describing his performance against the latter as “unnoticeable.”

He recorded an astounding 54 goals in 52 appearances across all competitions for Sporting last season, so the issue is evidently not his scoring ability. As Arteta has frequently pointed out, his complete game has given Arsenal an extra dimension in attack, even if the chances have not come to him.

Game Analysis

This was plainly visible during the initial 45 minutes of this elite matchup between two teams that had at first appeared well-balanced. There was a impression that Gyökeres was trying too hard to impress as he bustled about like a bull in a china shop during the early stages. An Eberechi Eze shot that glanced on to the bar inside the opening five minutes was originated from some quick moves on the edge of the Atlético area that skillfully evaded from his opponent, José María Giménez.

Giménez has the air of a man who could provoke conflict anywhere but is highly seasoned at this level compared with Gyökeres, who is participating in just his second Champions League campaign after netting three goals for Sporting against Manchester City last season that likely played a key role to influencing Arteta to make the move.

Relentless Effort

Yet having faced scrutiny that he was out of shape after missing most of pre-season in Portugal, Arsenal’s noticeably leaner striker harried all opponents as if his life depended on it. Giménez was tricked into conceding a booking when Gyökeres collided with him on the edge of the Atlético area having simply held his position. Gabriel Martinelli saw his goal ruled out for offside after tapping in Bukayo Saka’s cross and it wasn’t until after the break that the Swede had his opening chance.

A brilliant pass from Martinelli created an ideal chance, only for Jan Oblak to promptly save an unconvincing toe-poke towards goal. At that point it must have felt like the first score would not arrive. But the goals flowed when Gabriel headed home Rice’s free-kick and Gyökeres was ready to capitalize as the man in the mask made his mark. “Hopefully this is the start of some beautiful sequences,” said a delighted Arteta.