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If Viktor Gyökeres transforms into the striker that every Arsenal followers have been hoping for, then maybe they will look back on this night as the point his fortune shifted. In keeping with the timeless attacker’s creed, it isn’t important how they hit the back of the net.

On the back of nine matches for Arsenal and Sweden without a goal and expectations rising on the man signed for £64m in the close season, a tremendous feeling of ease engulfed the Emirates Stadium when Gyökeres guided in from close range via a deflection off David Hancko during a pulsating second half when Mikel Arteta’s side showed again that they are here to compete this season.

Stunning Reversal in Fortune

Shortly after and to the excitement of the local supporters, his Bane-inspired gesture inspired by the antagonist Bane in Batman, whose catchphrase is “I was ignored before the mask,” was showcased again 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 raised his fists and motioned emphatically in the direction of his star striker, of whom he has spent the past two weeks insisting the finest displays lay ahead.

“This is football, and we can’t expect a player to move leagues and have him do the same thing instantly,” the Arsenal manager stated in a discussion with the Spanish newspaper Marca ahead of the fixture. “Situations are not the same. Every footballer globally need one thing: their psychological state to be at its peak. I told Viktor in our initial discussion that the No 9 I sought for Arsenal was someone who could hold up mentally when they faced a goal drought without scoring. Failing that, you’re not cut out at this standard. That’s why I have a great belief in him.”

Early Challenges

It was as a 14-year-old playing for IFK Aspudden-Tellus, who are located in Stockholm’s outskirts, that Gyökeres first recognized he would have to toughen up to thrive in his selected career. Criticised after a disappointing display by a coach who said he lacked the mindset to make it in top-level football, he was eventually transformed from a wide player into a striker after joining Brommapojkarna two years later. “That comment resonated and I recall it now,” he said not long ago.

Challenging Spell

Without a goal since the win over Nottingham Forest in London back on 13 September, this has been one of the toughest stretches of his professional life. Gyökeres was heavily criticised after Sweden were beaten by Kosovo and Switzerland in World Cup qualifiers in the last two weeks, with one newspaper characterizing his outing against the latter as “absent.”

He achieved an remarkable 54 goals in 52 appearances across all competitions for Sporting last season, so the problem is obviously not his goal conversion. As the manager has often noted, his complete game has added a new layer in offense, even if the chances have not come to him.

Key Moments

This was certainly in evidence during the opening period of this high‑quality encounter between two teams that had originally looked well-balanced. There was a sense that Gyökeres was overexerting himself to make an impact as he ran aggressively like a disruptive presence during the beginning phase. An Eberechi Eze shot that bounced on to the bar inside the initial stages was created by some clever dribbling on the edge of the Atlético area that cleverly escaped from his opponent, José María Giménez.

The Uruguayan has the reputation of a man who could start a fight in an empty bar but is highly seasoned at this level compared with Gyökeres, who is participating in just his second Champions League campaign after netting three goals for Sporting against Manchester City last season that must have gone a long way to convincing Arteta to take the plunge.

Relentless Effort

Yet having drawn comments that he was carrying a few too many pounds after sitting out the buildup in Portugal, Arsenal’s noticeably leaner striker pursued each opportunity as if his life depended on it. Giménez was tricked into conceding a booking when Gyökeres ran into him on the edge of the Atlético area having only been stationary. Gabriel Martinelli saw his goal ruled out for offside after finishing Bukayo Saka’s cross and it did not happen until later that the Swede had his opening chance.

A brilliant pass from Martinelli created an ideal chance, only for Jan Oblak to quickly smother an weak effort towards goal. At that stage it must have seemed as if the first score would not arrive. But the floodgates opened when Gabriel scored with a header Rice’s free-kick and Gyökeres was ready to capitalize as the man in the mask announced his presence. “Hopefully this is the start of some beautiful sequences,” said a delighted Arteta.