Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Viktor Gyokeres, Arsenal, Premier League, Football, Mikel Arteta, Jamie Carragher, Kai Havertz
Marcus Banks
Topics: Viktor Gyokeres, Arsenal, Premier League, Football, Mikel Arteta, Jamie Carragher, Kai Havertz
Viktor Gyokeres is chasing a feat no Premier League player has managed for 14 years when Arsenal face Nottingham Forest.
Gyokeres arrived with a stellar reputation after blossoming into one of the world’s most deadliest forwards during his time in Portugal with Sporting.
Arsenal won the race for his signature amid interest from Manchester United and other European clubs, paying £64m to finally give Mikel Arteta the world-class no.9 fans have been craving.
After an underwhelming debut against United, Gyokeres got off the mark in the 6-0 demolition job of Leeds at the Emirates, netting a brace, before barely getting a kick of the ball as Arsenal were defeated at Anfield by Premier League champions Liverpool.
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Following his brace against Leeds, Gyokeres could make history by becoming just the third player in history to achieve an interesting goal-scoring feat.
The Swedish international would match David Hirst (1992) and Sergio Aguero (2011) who are currently the only two players to score two or more goals in both of their first two Premier League home appearances.
Gyokeres has seven goals in his last 10 home games for Arsenal and Sporting suggesting the odds are in his favour of another good time in front of goal. The Gunners face Nottingham Forest which will be Ange Postecoglou’s first time in the dugout after replacing Nuno Espirito Santo.
Postecoglou tasted defeat in both meetings in the North London derby last season and his high pressure defensive line could play right into Gyokeres’ biggest strengths.
Forest are yet to keep a clean-sheet this season.
It appears the jury it still out on whether Gyokeres will be a success at the Emirates with Jamie Carragher less than convinced after his first three appearances.
The ex-Liverpool defender believes Arteta will revert to using Kai Havertz in the no.9 role once the German is back to full fitness.
He said on the Overlap: “We said before about not judging players after three games but there was a lot of talk before he came in of his goal record [being] amazing.
“But there was then a school of thought of other people saying ‘I’m not quite sure this guy’s good enough for the actual elite’.
“Now, we’ve only seen him for three games. He’s already got two goals, but he’s not the easiest on the eye, is he? I’m still convinced that when Havertz is fit, Havertz will play the biggest games.”