Mikel Arteta was delighted with Viktor Gyokeres' performance against Slavia in the Champions League. The Swedish striker scored and provided an assist, with the manager saying it was the kind of performance he needed.
Gyokeres helped Arsenal win 2-1 in Prague.
He first set up Noni Madueke, then scored the second goal himself before half-time.
After the match, Arteta said:
I think he played very well.
We knew this match should suit him, given the demands posed by the opposition and the spaces he could exploit.
He dealt with that very well.
And it wasn't just the assist and the goal. He linked up very well with the team, and that's great news because I think he really needed a game like that.
Arteta also highlighted how Gyokeres took advantage of Slavia's man-to-man pressing:
He understood it very well.
He judged well when to appear in the right area and when to make himself available, because they mark man-to-man in midfield and leave a lot of space.
I'm very pleased because, overall, he had an excellent game, regardless of the goal and assist.
The victory took Arsenal to ten points after four Champions League matches.
The match could prove particularly important for Gyokeres amid discussion about his role in the team.
Kai Havertz has had more playing time recently, while the Swede's slow start to the season has raised questions about how regularly he will make the starting line-up.
Arteta has previously stressed that he still counts on the forward.
After his impressive performance in Prague, competition for a place in Arsenal's attack could become even fiercer.
