Arsenal are currently riding high, leading the Premier League and performing strongly in the Champions League. As an added plus, one of their expensive summer signings has found his scoring boots again.
Viktor Gyokeres broke his seven-match goal drought with a rapid double in Arsenal’s 4-0 demolition of Atletico Madrid in the Champions League. Gabriel opened the scoring with a header, sparking a 14-minute flurry of goals after half-time. Gabriel Martinelli added a second on 64 minutes before Gyokeres scored the third and fourth goals, leaving Diego Simeone’s team stunned. Next on the agenda for Mikel Arteta’s team, who are three points clear at the top of the Premier League, is an away game against Crystal Palace. Express Sports brings you the latest news and views from the red side of north London…
Arteta told what he must do
Former Gunners forward Jeremie Aliadiere has declared that Arteta knows he needs to bring a trophy to the Emirates this season. Despite the Spaniard re-establishing Arsenal as a domestic and European force, he only has one trophy to his name so far, the FA Cup in 2020.
Following significant summer investment, which addressed the club’s previous lack of squad depth, there are no excuses for Arteta not to win something, ideally the Premier League and/or the Champions League.
Aliadiere, who featured under Arsene Wenger from 2001 to 2007, told WhichBookie: “It’s fair to say Mikel Arteta needs to win a trophy this season and I think he knows that himself. He’s had the backing of everyone at the club for years and they’ve given him all the tools and the players he needs.
“They’ve done their side of the deal, now he must deliver his. When you look at the Arsenal squad now, it’s probably the best in the Premier League.
“He has had a few years of being so close and finishing second, now he knows what he has to do to go and win it. From what I’ve seen this season, he is starting to do things differently in terms of rotating the squad and making substitutions to change games.
“I can’t see any negatives at the moment and I think this will finally be the season that Arsenal win the Premier League.”
Rival issues 10-word verdict
Arsenal’s prospects of finally breaking their trophy drought this campaign look encouraging, particularly given Simeone’s evaluation. The Atletico Madrid boss delivered a 10-word assessment of Arsenal following his side’s defeat.
Despite Atletico recently facing Liverpool and Real Madrid, Simeone said of the Gunners: “They are the best team we have faced this season.”
He continued: “They compete so well, their players run and run, and they have quality all over the pitch. They deserved to win today and I want to congratulate them.
“It is a learning curve. We just need to keep improving. I thought we competed really well to begin with. From 60 minutes they were the better team and deserved to win.”
