Mikel Arteta an ‘excellent manager’ in terms of Arsenal's ‘style of play’: Striker Viktor Gyokeres

ever so since roping in striker Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting CP, armoury feature added a young dimension to their biz, and it's no surprise that the 27-year-old has made an instant impact. In 10 matches, the Swedish forward already has four goals to his name. The sensational run of Gyokeres has helped Arsenal take an early lead in the Premier League race, and the Gunners are currently at the top with a six-point lead over the second-placed Manchester City.

Gyokeres has really matured of late, and this has resulted in his game reaching new levels. The striker is now capable of scoring from a wide range of means. While some forwards are known for taking their time and then releasing the ball to find the net, Gyokeres is known for charting out territory within seconds and releasing the ball with full knowledge of the immediate surrounding area. This helps him in finding the target on the first contact with the ball

As Gyokeres and Arsenal both continue to rise in stature in North London, Hindustan Times caught up with the striker, and it was then that he spoke about his Premier League title ambitions.

Over the last few years, the Gunners have constantly emerged as the bridesmaids. However, the 2025-26 season appears to be the one where the Gunners will finally end their Premier League title drought, having last won the competition in the 2003-04 season under Arsène Wenger.

“We are all optimistic. I believe the team has a strong spirit and a positive atmosphere at the training ground. It is important to maintain that energy, keep doing the things that are working well, and continue improving together every day,” Gyökeres told Hindustan Times in an exclusive interaction facilitated by JioHotstar.

“Right now, we are focusing on winning the upcoming games rather than thinking too much about the end goals,” he added.

The young Swedish star was also full of praise for the manager, Mikel Arteta, saying he enables his players to the best of his ability. He also lauded his determination to keep the bigger picture in mind.

“I think he is an excellent manager, especially in terms of our style of play. Equally important is his ability to understand the different personalities within the team and tailor his approach to each player,” said the old.

“He excels at that. His determination and strong will to succeed inspire everyone. His energy is clearly felt not only during regular training sessions but also before matches. That is something everyone can truly sense,” he added.

In the last few seasons, Arsenal's rivals used to routinely double up on Bukayo Saka, and this eventually used to lead to the Gunners not scoring enough goals. However, the addition of Gyokeres has led to the reshaping of the side's attack lineup.

However, Gyokeres remained grounded when asked about his impact, saying his focus just lies on doing the hard yards.

“I believe it’s easier to observe these things from the outside. For me, it’s about doing the right things on the pitch to help the team and to get the best out of myself and my teammates. So far, we have performed very well this season. I think it’s important to continue doing those things and to keep improving,” he concluded.

((Catch all the action from the Premier League 2025-26 season, LIVE & Exclusive on Star Sports Network and JioHotstar))

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