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If Viktor Gyökeres goes on to become the attacker that all Arsenal fans have been praying for, then perhaps they will look back on this night as the moment his luck shifted. In keeping with the timeless attacker’s creed, it makes no difference how they go in.

Following a streak of nine matches for club and country without a goal and pressure mounting on the man brought in for a substantial sum in the close season, a massive sense of release washed over the Emirates Stadium when Gyökeres tapped in from close range via a ricochet off David Hancko during a pulsating second half when Mikel Arteta’s side proved yet again that they are here to compete this season.

Dramatic Turnaround in Fortune

Within moments and to the joy of the home faithful, his mask celebration borrowed from the villain Bane in Batman, whose catchphrase 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. From the technical area, Arteta raised his fists and gestured animatedly in the direction of his recent signing, of whom he has spent the past two weeks insisting the finest displays lay ahead.

“That’s the game, and we can’t expect a player to change contexts and have him replicate his form immediately,” the Arsenal manager said in an interview with the Spanish newspaper Marca prior to the match. “Things are very different. All players in the world need one thing: their mental condition to be at its peak. I told Viktor in our introductory chat that the center forward I sought for Arsenal was someone who could remain strong psychologically when they faced a goal drought without scoring. Otherwise, you’re not good enough at this standard. That’s why I have a strong confidence in him.”

Youthful Struggles

It was as a 14-year-old playing for IFK Aspudden-Tellus, who are based in Stockholm’s southside districts, that Gyökeres first realised he would have to build resilience to thrive in his selected career. Rebuked after a poor performance by a coach who said he didn’t have the mentality to excel in top-level football, he ultimately switched from a flank attacker into a striker after signing for Brommapojkarna two years later. “Those words lingered and I think about it often,” he said recently.

Testing Period

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

He managed an remarkable 54 goals in 52 appearances in all tournaments for Sporting last season, so the problem is clearly not his finishing. As the manager has often noted, his all‑round play has added a new layer in offense, even if the openings have not been in his favor.

Match Highlights

This was plainly visible during the initial 45 minutes of this elite matchup between two teams that had at first appeared closely contested. There was a sense that Gyökeres was pressing too much to stand out 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 created by some quick moves on the edge of the Atlético area that skillfully evaded from his marker, José María Giménez.

Giménez has the aura of a man who could start a fight in an empty bar but is vastly experienced 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 probably significantly contributed to persuading Arteta to secure the signing.

Relentless Effort

Yet having faced scrutiny that he was overweight after sitting out the buildup in Portugal, Arsenal’s considerably trimmer striker pursued each opportunity as if his career hung in the balance. Giménez was fooled into conceding a booking when Gyökeres made contact on the edge of the Atlético area having merely stood his ground. Gabriel Martinelli saw his effort disallowed for offside after finishing Bukayo Saka’s cross and it only came in the second half that the Swede had his opening chance.

A brilliant pass from Martinelli provided a golden opportunity, only for Jan Oblak to swiftly block an hesitant shot towards goal. Then it must have seemed as if the breakthrough would never come. But the dam burst when Gabriel nodded in 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.