How Viktor Gyokeres inspired statement Arsenal Champions League win against Atletico Madrid – The New York Times

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Arsenal secured a significant Champions League win by thrashing Atletico Madrid 4-0 today.
After a goalless first half, Gabriel headed home a free kick and Gabriel Martinelli curled in off the post.
Viktor Gyokeres then scored twice in four minutes to give the hosts a thumping victory in north London.
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Arsenal 4 Atletico Madrid 0 – What does this win say about Arteta’s side? How big was this for Gyokeres?
Sunday, October 26: Crystal Palace (Home), Premier League, 2pm UK, 10am ET
Up next for Arsenal, it's another home match, this time in the Premier League.
They host high-flying Crystal Palace at the Emirates, before a third successive home game in the Carabao Cup fourth round against Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday.
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There is yet more brilliant Champions League action to come tomorrow — here’s a look at the schedule:
Matches kicking off at 8pm GMT, 3pm ET:
Some teams are yet to play and will be in action tomorrow night but for now, this is how the league phase table looks…
Plenty of goals across tonight’s matches… there are a few results that stand out here:
While that was a bit of a statement win for Arsenal, it is a crushing result for Atletico.
In round one of the league phase they took on Liverpool and performed admirably, only being beaten right at the last — and they fully deserved the win there.
But tonight they looked lacking in energy and ideas going forward and even their usually stubborn defence was easily breached.
Bukayo Saka was impressive again.
He carried his Fulham performance into tonight to set the tone.
A proper leader.
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Maybe it is this, as highlighted by Mikel Arteta after the match when speaking to Prime Video:
💬 “To have the ability and way of scoring goals, the different players scoring goals as well is a great quality.
“We need to continue and still improve. It creates a better equation between us and our supporters.”
The Arsenal manager was speaking to Prime Video after the match:
💬 “We knew that as long as the score was 0-0 it was going to be tough. After the goal they opened up a bit and it was easier for us to fund the spaces.
“A big team performance without individual performances is very difficult. We were selfless in every phase of the play and it was very nice.
“Viktor fully deserves that and the work rate he brings is amazing. That’s what we brought him here for (goals), we value the work that he does for us.
“He is very used to that (goal pressure), it’s phenomenal and hopefully the start of something special.”
It was not a classic but it was long-awaited by the Swede, who has eight goals in his 11 Champions League appearances in his career. Not a bad tally. Here’s what he had to say:
💬 “I got it there a bit in between my legs and tried to get the shot going and it was a perfect deflection I think.
“You have to be focused but sometimes you can overdo it and you think it is the right thing to get in front and the ball comes behind so you need patience to wait for the right moment. You have to be aggressive and the chance will come.
“(My team-mates are incredible. You can see that from how we play together and the spirit we have in the team is something else.
“It feels great but we have to be on our toes and keep doing the right things in training and games and improve ourselves.”
He scored two tonight and looked pretty pleased — here’s his take on that performance when speaking to Prime Video:
💬 “Feels amazing, it has been a while but we have been winning games so on that point it has still been a great couple of months. As a striker you want to score goals so to get two today is amazing.
“(On limited celebrations for first goal) That was because VAR sometimes, you don't want to do too much and be disappointed.
“It was great to score two goals and get this win because it shows where we are at.”
What a night for both Gabriel and Gabriel Martinelli.
The two Brazilians at opposite ends of the pitch for Arsenal were so important — providing goals, assists and defensive solidity, too.
When Arsenal need them, they stand up and make themselves counted.
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Gabriel, you can’t answer in English, that spoils it!
Arsenal defender Gabriel spoke on Amazon Prime Video about the performance and their goals for the season.
💬 “Yeah, we are so happy. We know we are playing at home, in front of our fans. and we played a big team like Atletico.
“Everyone worked well, we need to keep it going. A big win, we need to enjoy, but also need to rest. We have a big game on Sunday (against Crystal Palace) as well.
“We work a lot on set pieces. It's not only me, it's about the team. When we get in the box, we believe and of course with Declan Rice (taking set pieces) we believe (we will score).
“Our defensive record is good for us, it gives us lots of confidence to keep going. We have just started the season, we need to work a lot together. We know we have an amazing team, we need to believe in each other and we want to achieve big things this season.”
The Athletic's Art de Roche and Mark Carey assess the action and key talking points from north London, below.
Enjoy!
GO FURTHER
Arsenal 4 Atletico Madrid 0 – What does this win say about Arteta’s side? How big was this for Gyokeres?
There’s certainly a case to be made for that tonight.
A very solid performance from the Sweden international even before his goals, with lots of hard work defensively and with running in behind.
He is finding his feet in this system.
The date is December 17, 2022. The location is the Coventry Building Society Arena. A Championship match between Coventry City and Swansea City is taking place, with the home side leading 2-0.
A 24-year-old Viktor Gyokeres is bearing down on goal. He checks onto his right foot and finishes to put Coventry 3-0 up and score his tenth goal of the season.
In celebrating the finish, the striker proceeds to do something that has become his trademark — as the world got to see again twice in quick succession during the second half of Arsenal’s 4-0 Champions League win over Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.
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Viktor Gyokeres ended his goal drought against Atletico Madrid and brought out his signature goal celebration.
His team-mate Gabriel, who gave it a whirl last season when Gyokeres was at Sporting, joined in, and it has been repeated across football and in other sports.
But where did his now iconic mask move come from, and why does he do it?
Let's take a look…
You could not blame him for looking like a weight had been lifted when he scored his first goal of the night.
It had been a long time coming and while in the modern game scoring goals is not everything for a striker, people will always talk.
Well, he has quietened those critics for now with a brace tonight.
That has not always been the case for them in this competition but that was a masterclass in effective attacking.
At one point before the first goal it felt as if things were in the balance and Atletico might succeed in frustrating Arteta’s side but then Arsenal went through the gears.
Scoring the first was key — goals two, three and four came as a result of some clinical attacking play coupled with a bit of fortune.

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