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If Viktor Gyökeres goes on to become the forward that all Arsenal followers have been hoping for, then maybe they will look back on this night as the juncture his fortune changed. According to the classic forward’s saying, it isn’t important how they hit the back of the net.

Following a streak of nine matches for club and country without a goal and scrutiny increasing on the man acquired for a hefty fee in the close season, a massive sense of release washed over the Emirates Stadium when Gyökeres guided in from point-blank via a glance off David Hancko during a thrilling second half when Mikel Arteta’s side proved yet again that they are here to compete this season.

Remarkable Shift in Luck

Within moments and to the delight of the local supporters, his mask celebration inspired by the villain Bane in Batman, whose famous line is “nobody cared until I put on the mask,” was repeated once more after bundling over from Gabriel Magalhães’s header following a Declan Rice corner to complete the rout against Atlético Madrid. Down on the touchline, Arteta celebrated wildly and motioned emphatically in the direction of his recent signing, of whom he has spent the last fortnight 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 remarked in a conversation with the Spanish newspaper Marca prior to the match. “Situations are not the same. All players in the world need one thing: their mental condition to be at its peak. I advised Viktor in our introductory chat that the No 9 I wanted for Arsenal was someone who could remain strong psychologically when they experienced a dry spell without scoring. Failing that, you’re not cut out at this tier. That’s why I have a great belief in him.”

Formative Hurdles

It was as a 14-year-old playing for IFK Aspudden-Tellus, who are situated in Stockholm’s southern suburbs, that Gyökeres first realised he would have to build resilience to thrive in his vocation. Criticised after a disappointing display by a coach who said he lacked the mindset to excel in top-level football, he ultimately switched 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

Having failed to score since the victory against Nottingham Forest in London back on 13 September, this has been one of the hardest times of his time in football. Gyökeres was heavily criticised after Sweden were overcome by Kosovo and Switzerland in World Cup qualifiers in the past fortnight, with one newspaper labeling his display against the latter as “absent.”

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

Key Moments

This was plainly visible during the first half of this elite matchup between two teams that had at first appeared well-balanced. There was a sense that Gyökeres was trying too hard to make an impact as he ran aggressively like a disruptive presence during the opening minutes. An Eberechi Eze shot that glanced on to the bar inside the initial stages was set up by some sharp footwork on the edge of the Atlético area that cleverly escaped from his opponent, José María Giménez.

The defender has the aura of a man who could create tension effortlessly but is highly seasoned at this level compared with Gyökeres, who is competing in merely his second Champions League campaign after bagging a triple for Sporting against Manchester City last season that probably significantly contributed to influencing Arteta to secure the signing.

Unyielding Drive

Yet having drawn comments that he was carrying a few too many pounds after being absent for preparations in Portugal, Arsenal’s much more svelte-looking striker chased down every ball as if his life depended on it. Giménez was fooled into conceding a booking when Gyökeres made contact on the edge of the Atlético area having only been stationary. Gabriel Martinelli saw his goal ruled out for offside after converting Bukayo Saka’s cross and it wasn’t until after the break that the Swede had his initial opportunity.

A brilliant pass from Martinelli created an ideal chance, only for Jan Oblak to quickly smother an weak effort towards goal. Then it must have seemed as if the breakthrough would not arrive. But the goals flowed 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. “Ideally this is the beginning of a great run,” said a delighted Arteta.