Viktor Gyokeres must stay positive despite Arsenal goal drought – Mikel Arteta | OneFootball

Mikel Arteta has told Viktor Gyokeres he must be able to deal with the pressure of not scoring for Arsenal following the striker’s alarming six-match streak without a goal.

Gyokeres scored 97 times across 102 matches for Sporting, but he heads into Arsenal’s fixture against Fulham on Saturday with just three goals for his new club.

The Sweden international also failed to find the back of the net during the recent international break to make it eight games in all since he last scored – in Arsenal’s 3-0 win against Nottingham Forest on September 13.

Gyokeres’ other two strikes for Arsenal arrived in their first home match of the season against Leeds, meaning he has scored in just two of his 14 appearances for club and country this season.

And Arteta said: “I told him before the first meeting, I said, ‘the nine that I want is a nine that when he doesn’t score for six or eight games, he can handle that. If not, you have to go somewhere else because the expectation is going to be there’.

“So, if you put on a nine shirt for Arsenal, you have to be able to say, ‘OK, six games, if I don’t score, I’m a different player? I start to act in a different way?’. No, I want much more of the same of what he’s doing.

“You see the history of the number nines. You’re going to have moments like this. He brings so much to the team. He creates space and solutions to a lot of the players around him. And with the talent that we have in the team, I’m sure that everybody, him included, will benefit from that.”

With Kai Havertz on the sidelines following a knee operation, Gyokeres will lead the line for Arsenal at Fulham.

However, injury-hit captain Martin Odegaard is out for at least the next month afer he sustained medial collateral ligament damage in his left knee in Arsenal’s win over West Ham prior to the international break.

Arteta continued: “There is no definite date for Martin’s return, but he’s evolving well and he will be back in a few weeks.

“He’s in a really good place. He cannot afford to be in a different mindset. He’s the captain. He needs to drive the standard. He needs to be the example. When you don’t have an option, you are a dad, you have to look after your kids. You have to be there. And that is his responsibility in the team.”

Arsenal have been installed by the bookmakers as the favourites to win the Premier League after taking advantage of Liverpool’s two successive defeats to move to the top of the table.

Arteta’s side could extend their lead over Liverpool to four points ahead of the defending champions’ home match against Manchester United on Sunday.

Asked if it is possible to remain at the summit until the end of the season, and end Arsenal’s 22-year title wait, Arteta replied: “It is possible. We will if we continue to win a lot of football matches. I’m sure we will be there.”