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In the event that Viktor Gyökeres develops into the attacker that all Arsenal followers have been praying for, then perhaps they will reflect on this night as the moment his destiny shifted. According to the classic forward’s saying, it isn’t important how they find the net.

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 offseason, a massive sense of release washed over the Emirates Stadium when Gyökeres tapped in from close range via a ricochet off David Hancko during a thrilling second half when Mikel Arteta’s side showed again that they mean business this season.

Stunning Reversal in Fortune

Shortly after and to the delight of the stadium crowd, his Bane-inspired gesture borrowed from the antagonist Bane in Batman, whose famous line is “I was ignored before the mask,” was showcased again after bundling over from Gabriel Magalhães’s header following a Declan Rice corner to finish the demolition against Atlético Madrid. From the technical area, Arteta punched the air and gestured animatedly in the direction of his star striker, of whom he has spent the previous 14 days insisting the peak performance awaited.

“That’s the game, and we shouldn’t anticipate a player to switch environments and have him perform identically right away,” the Arsenal manager said in an interview with the Spanish newspaper Marca before this game. “Situations are not the same. Every footballer globally need one thing: their state of mind to be at its peak. I advised Viktor in our first meeting that the No 9 I sought for Arsenal was someone who could stay resilient when they experienced a dry spell without scoring. Otherwise, you’re not cut out at this standard. That’s why I have a lot of faith in him.”

Early Challenges

Back in his early teens playing for IFK Aspudden-Tellus, who are located in Stockholm’s outskirts, that Gyökeres first understood he would have to toughen up to thrive in his chosen profession. Admonished after a subpar outing by a coach who said he didn’t have the mentality to make it in elite soccer, he was eventually transformed from a winger into a striker after signing for Brommapojkarna two years later. “That comment resonated and I recall it now,” he said in a recent interview.

Testing Period

Goal-shy since the win over Nottingham Forest at home back on 13 September, this has been one of the toughest stretches of his professional life. Gyökeres was heavily criticised after Sweden were defeated by Kosovo and Switzerland in World Cup qualifiers in the past fortnight, with one newspaper labeling his display against the latter as “unnoticeable.”

He recorded an astounding 54 goals in 52 appearances throughout the season for Sporting last season, so the issue is evidently not his goal conversion. As the manager has often noted, his complete game has provided additional depth in the final third, even if the opportunities have not fallen his way.

Match Highlights

This was plainly visible during the initial 45 minutes of this high‑quality encounter between two teams that had at first appeared evenly matched. There was a feeling that Gyökeres was trying too hard to make an impact as he bustled about like a bull in a china shop during the beginning phase. An Eberechi Eze shot that bounced on to the bar inside the initial stages was originated from some sharp footwork on the edge of the Atlético area that cleverly escaped from his defender, José María Giménez.

The defender has the air of a man who could provoke conflict anywhere but is highly seasoned at this standard compared with Gyökeres, who is participating in just his second Champions League campaign after scoring a hat-trick for Sporting against Manchester City last season that probably significantly contributed to influencing Arteta to secure the signing.

Constant Hustle

Yet having attracted criticism that he was carrying a few too many pounds after sitting out the buildup in Portugal, Arsenal’s noticeably leaner striker chased down every ball as if his life depended on it. Giménez was tricked into conceding a yellow card when Gyökeres made contact on the edge of the Atlético area having simply held his position. 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 initial opportunity.

A exquisite touch from Martinelli set Gyökeres up perfectly, only for Jan Oblak to swiftly block an weak effort towards goal. Then it must have felt like the first score would never come. But the goals flowed when Gabriel headed home Rice’s free-kick and Gyökeres was ready to capitalize as the man in the mask made his mark. “With any luck this is the commencement of a prolific period,” said a delighted Arteta.