With his double in Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Sunderland on Saturday, Viktor Gyokeres has now scored six goals this year, more than any other Premier League player.
The Sweden striker arrived in the summer as a statement. Fans expected an instant impact, something like an Erling Haaland-esque explosion into the Premier League. They didn't get it. But with his recent run of form, it looks like he could be exactly what Arsenal needed.
Despite his recent improving run of form, a common criticism of Gyokeres from rival fans is that he only scores against the league's newly promoted sides, or those in the bottom half. Factually, this is true. Five of his eight Premier League goals have come against Burnley, Leeds, and Nottingham Forest.
But Arsenal's title charge faltered last season against exactly these types of sides. Conversely, this season, Gyokeres is precisely the man to dispatch these sides, even if they still put up an organised and, at times, suffocating defence against the Gunners. This isn't a player stat-padding against smaller sides, it's one doing exactly what we need him to do.
It's also been an eye-opener for fans watching a player adapt to life in the English top flight while very publicly learning on the job. Physicality-wise, there is simply nowhere to hide in the Premier League, and Gyokeres has sometimes looked significantly off the pace. However, he has failed, adjusted, and improved in the public eye and under immense scrutiny. This is to be lauded.
He is proof that the move from Primeira Liga isn't just about technical skill, which he is still working on. It is as much about the mental strength to fail and grow while the world watches.
These early signs of him 'coming good' are no fluke, but the result of a player willing to be imperfect while the finishing touches fall into place. And his recent form shows every indication that they will.
Find more from Laura Kirk-Francis at the Latte Firm podcast
