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Arsenal have had a sensational start to the 2025/26 season as they are currently leading the Premier League points table.
While most of the new signings including Martin Zubimendi, Noni Madueke, Cristhian Mosquera, etc. have already adapted to their new environment and delivered some exceptional performances for the Gunners.
However, one player who has struggled to get going is Viktor Gyokeres as the big money signing has failed to score goals consistently.
He is currently going through a six-game goal drought, and fans have already started questioning his abilities to succeed in the Premier League.
With the league resuming, Arsenal are all set to travel to Craven Cottage to face Fulham on Saturday, October 18 and Mikel Arteta has sent a clear message to Gyokeres highlighting that wearing the number 9 jersey at Arsenal comes with certain expectations.
"I told him before the first meeting, I said, ‘the nine that I want is a nine that when he doesn’t score for six or eight games, he can handle that. If not, you have to go somewhere else because the expectation is going to be there’," Arteta told the reporters ahead of the Fulham trip.
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"So, if you put on a nine shirt for Arsenal, you have to be able to say, ‘OK, six games, if I don’t score, I’m a different player? I start to act in a different way?’. No, I want much more of the same of what he’s doing."
The Sweden international has netted three goals in 10 games this season for the Gunners but more than goals, he has looked extremely uninvolved in some games which has been a major cause of concern for Arteta.
What did Arteta say about Gyokeres' contributions beyond goals?
Arsenal desperately needed a high-profile striker this summer to pair up with Kai Havertz and they had to choose between Benjamin Sesko and Gyokeres and they eventually went for the latter.
They signed the Swedish marksman for a whopping €73.5m ($85.7m) transfer fee from Sporting Lisbon and since then his returns have been pretty disappointing.
However, Arteta explains how much the 27-year-old brings to this Arsenal team with his presence in certain areas and how his contribution must be seen beyond just goals.
"The first thing is that. That's going to give you something extra. Victor has so many things that probably are not noticeable," he said. "But as well, he creates environment and space and solutions to a lot of the players around him. And with the talent that we have in the team, I'm sure that everybody, him included, will benefit from that."
Gyokeres is coming to North London having slammed 97 goals in 102 appearances for Sporting in the last two seasons and many people expected him to replicate that goalscoring form for Arsenal.
The 27-year-old will hope to get back in goalscoring rhythm in Arsenal's away trip to Fulham as Arteta's men will be keen to hold onto the top spot in the Premier League points table.
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