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If Viktor Gyökeres transforms into the striker that each Arsenal supporters have been praying for, then maybe they will recall this night as the moment his fortune shifted. According to the classic forward’s saying, it doesn’t matter how they go in.

After a run of nine matches for his team and national side without a goal and pressure mounting on the man signed for £64m in the close season, a massive sense of release engulfed 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 showed again that they mean business this season.

Remarkable Shift in Fortune

Less than three minutes later and to the delight of the home faithful, his mask celebration borrowed from the antagonist Bane in Batman, whose signature quote is “attention came only with the disguise,” was repeated once more after forcing home from Gabriel Magalhães’s header following a Declan Rice corner to seal the victory against Atlético Madrid. Down on the touchline, Arteta celebrated wildly and signaled enthusiastically in the direction of his star striker, of whom he has spent the previous 14 days insisting the peak performance awaited.

“This is football, and we can’t expect a player to move leagues and have him do the same thing instantly,” the Arsenal manager remarked in a conversation with the Spanish newspaper Marca prior to the match. “Circumstances vary greatly. Every footballer globally need one thing: their psychological state to be at its optimum. I informed Viktor in our first meeting that the center forward I desired at Arsenal was someone who could hold up mentally when they went six or eight games without scoring. Otherwise, you’re not cut out at this standard. That’s why I have a great belief in him.”

Youthful Struggles

When he was just 14 playing for IFK Aspudden-Tellus, who are situated in Stockholm’s outskirts, that Gyökeres first understood he would have to build resilience to make it in his vocation. Rebuked after a disappointing display by a coach who said he lacked the mindset to excel in top-level football, he ultimately switched from a winger into a striker after moving to Brommapojkarna two years later. “That comment resonated and I think about it often,” he said not long ago.

Difficult Phase

Having failed to score since the victory against Nottingham Forest here back on 13 September, this has been one of the hardest times of his professional life. Gyökeres was widely panned after Sweden were defeated by Kosovo and Switzerland in World Cup qualifiers in the previous 14 days, with one newspaper describing his performance against the latter as “absent.”

He recorded an remarkable 54 goals in 52 appearances across all competitions for Sporting last season, so the problem is clearly not his scoring ability. As the manager has often noted, his all‑round play has added a new layer in offense, even if the openings have not come to him.

Key Moments

This was plainly visible during the opening period of this high‑quality encounter between two teams that had at first appeared evenly matched. There was a sense that Gyökeres was trying too hard to stand out as he charged around like a force of nature during the beginning phase. An Eberechi Eze shot that bounced on to the bar inside the initial stages was set up by some sharp footwork on the edge of the Atlético area that skillfully evaded from his opponent, José María Giménez.

The defender has the air of a man who could provoke conflict anywhere but is deeply knowledgeable at this stage compared with Gyökeres, who is competing in merely his second Champions League campaign after netting three goals for Sporting against Manchester City last season that probably significantly contributed to influencing Arteta to make the move.

Unyielding Drive

However having drawn comments that he was carrying a few too many pounds after being absent for preparations in Portugal, Arsenal’s noticeably leaner striker harried all opponents as if his life depended on it. Giménez was tricked into conceding a yellow card when Gyökeres collided with him on the edge of the Atlético area having merely stood his ground. Gabriel Martinelli saw his attempt canceled for offside after converting Bukayo Saka’s cross and it only came in the second half that the Swede had his first sight of goal.

A sumptuous flick from Martinelli set Gyökeres up perfectly, only for Jan Oblak to promptly save an unconvincing toe-poke towards goal. At that stage it must have felt like the breakthrough would never come. But the goals flowed when Gabriel headed home Rice’s free-kick and Gyökeres was perfectly positioned to benefit as the masked striker announced his presence. “With any luck this is the beginning of a great run,” said a delighted Arteta.