Mikel Arteta has told Viktor Gyokeres he must give you the option to take care of the pressure of not scoring for Arsenal following the striker’s alarming six-match streak with no goal.
Gyokeres scored 97 times across 102 matches for Sporting, but he heads into Arsenal’s fixture against Fulham on Saturday with just three goals for his recent club.
The Sweden international also failed to seek out the back of the online through the recent international break to make it eight games in all since he last scored – in Arsenal’s 3-0 win against Nottingham Forest on September 13.
Gyokeres’ other two strikes for Arsenal arrived of their first home match of the season against Leeds, meaning he has scored in only two of his 14 appearances for club and country this season.
And Arteta said: ‘I told him before the primary meeting, I said, ‘the nine that I need is a nine that when he doesn’t rating for six or eight games, he can handle that. If not, you have got to go elsewhere since the expectation goes to be there’.
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‘So, in the event you placed on a nine shirt for Arsenal, you have got to give you the option to say, ‘OK, six games, if I don’t rating, I’m a special player? I begin to act another way?’. No, I need way more of the identical of what he’s doing.
‘You see the history of the number nines. You’re going to have moments like this. He brings a lot to the team. He creates space and solutions to a number of the players around him. And with the talent that we now have within the team, I’m sure that everyone, him included, will profit from that.’
With Kai Havertz on the sidelines following a knee operation, Gyokeres will lead the road for Arsenal at Fulham.
Nonetheless, injury-hit captain Martin Odegaard is out for not less than the following month afer he sustained medial collateral ligament damage in his left knee in Arsenal’s win over West Ham prior to the international break.
Arteta continued: ‘There isn’t a definite date for Martin’s return, but he’s evolving well and he will likely be back in a couple of weeks.
‘He’s in a very good place. He cannot afford to be in a special mindset. He’s the captain. He must drive the usual. He must be the instance. If you don’t have an option, you’re a dad, you have got to take care of your kids. You’ve to be there. And that’s his responsibility within the team.’
Arsenal have been installed by the bookmakers because the favourites to win the Premier League after making the most of Liverpool’s two successive defeats to maneuver to the highest of the table.
Arteta’s side could extend their lead over Liverpool to 4 points ahead of the defending champions’ home match against Manchester United on Sunday.
Asked if it is feasible to stay on the summit until the tip of the season, and end Arsenal’s 22-year title wait, Arteta replied: “It is feasible. We’ll if we proceed to win a number of football matches. I’m sure we will likely be there.”
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