Mikel Arteta says Arsenal on 'right trajectory' to fulfilling 'incredible' Viktor Gyokeres potential - and praises Swede for being a 'nightmare'

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Mikel Arteta believes that Viktor Gyokeres is on the "right trajectory" to flourishing at Arsenal as his goalscoring form begins to tick up following two strikes in the 4-1 derby win away to Tottenham Hotspur last weekend. The Sweden striker made an inconsistent start in north London following his move from Sporting, but he has scored eight goals since the start of 2026.

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Mikel Arteta is confident that Arsenal are on the right path to fulfilling Viktor Gyokeres' potential despite a slow start at the club.

The Sweden striker has taken time to settle in the Premier League since joining from Sporting in the summer.

But the 27-year-old is beginning to find his stride, scoring eight goals in all competitions since the start of 2026 and netting twice in last Sunday's north London derby.

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With 10 goals in the league this season, he has already scored more than any Arsenal player did last term and Arteta believes the positive momentum will only improve him.

"I think one thing leads to another," Arteta said. "When you score the first one or the performances are good, you have more time with your team-mates, you understand the games, the opponent, the league better. Everything helps.

"We know his qualities. He is undoubtedly an incredible striker. We need to feed to his quality, we need to understand him better, he needs to understand the team, the league better, I think we are in the right trajectory."

After a prolific few years in Portugal, where he scored 97 goals in 102 matches for Sporting, Gyokeres moved to the Emirates with weighty expectations, compounded by a reported fee of £63.5 million.

His brace in the 4-1 win over Tottenham was perhaps his best performance for Arsenal so far.

The Gunners have another heated London derby to contest on Sunday against Chelsea, a pivotal fixture in both Arsenal's title hunt and Chelsea's aspirations for the top four.

Arteta and supporters alike will be hopeful that Gyokeres' increasing confidence will see him back on the scoresheet.

"That’s a question for him," Arteta responded when asked if Gyokeres lacked confidence earlier in the campaign.

"Obviously I know the demands he puts on himself, the expectation that he has to help the team and I am confident because a lot of the times, our defenders, when they have to train against our players, [you ask], ‘How do you feel when [you face him]?’ and [they say], ‘It’s a nightmare.’

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"That’s a really good way to understand the quality of a player or how it is to defend him."

Chelsea have failed to beat Arsenal in their past eight league games, but Arteta knows that the past is "irrelevant" and preparation remains the same.

With three consecutive seasons of finishing second, only the thought of finishing first is fuelling the squad.

"What we did two weeks ago or two years ago is irrelevant because every game and context is different," Arteta added. "The players might change, the mood of the teams can be in a different state or what is at stake is different, and we are prepared.

"When you finish like this you only want to be first. That’s it. That’s the aim. Always get better, always try to excel the possibilities of the team."

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