Arsenal started their home campaign in the 2025-26 Premier League season with a bang, as they routed Leeds United 5-0 in front of a packed Emirates Stadium on Saturday. Mikel Arteta’s side showed no mercy to the recently promoted side, and the visitors were no match for Arsenal’s attacking prowess.
Viktor Gyokeres scored two of the goals to get his Premier League campaign up and running. The Swedish striker was kept quiet at Old Trafford last weekend and had few chances in the first half of the game. But, in the second half, he was at his menacing best.
Three minutes into the second half, Gyokeres collected a long pass down the left flank, swiveled past his marker, Pascal Struijk, before drilling the ball low into the bottom corner. After 15-year-old debutant Max Dowman was clipped inside the box by Leeds United’s Anton Stach, the referee pointed to the spot. Gyokeres stepped up to take the penalty and sent the keeper the wrong way before slamming it home into the bottom corner in the dying embers of the second half.
There was a lot of pressure on Viktor Gyokeres before the match, with rival fans questioning his capability to deliver in the Premier League. Gyokeres took the Primera Liga (Portugal’s top tier) by storm, having scored 68 goals in 66 appearances over the last two seasons for Sporting CP. However, from 2020 to 2023, while he plied his trade for Coventry City, he was able to notch only 41 goals from 121 appearances in the Championship.
“There was always pressure, but I knew I’d take my chances sooner or later, and today I took two of them and we won 5-0. So, it was a great day,” Gyokeres said while speaking to Sky Sports.
When quizzed on the importance of getting 90 minutes under his belt for the first time in his Premier League campaign, Gyokeres replied, “It was a short preseason for me with not too many weeks of training, and I didn't play a full 90 minutes during the preseason. So, it was important for me to get 90 minutes, get the rhythm, and get to know the team.”
Viktor’s first goal was very typical for him. Running into open spaces before cutting between two defenders and smashing the ball home into the bottom corner is something that he has done multiple times in the past.
“I'm comfortable when the ball comes from behind, especially on the left, and then cutting inside. I knew I'd take the chance when I had it like that, and it was a nice goal to start with,” Viktor elaborated.
When asked about his peers in the front line, like Bukayo Saka, Max Dowman, and Gabriel Martinelli, who wasn't even in the squad, Viktor replied, “We have so many amazing players going forward, and for me it's just important to be in the right place and make the movements that I'll be making during the game. Then, I think I'll get a lot of chances during the season.”
“All the teams we play against want to challenge us and make it difficult for us. So, we have to prepare for every game as best as possible. But, we have an amazing team, we train well, and we work hard every day. We’ve started off well now with two wins, two clean sheets, and a lot of goals. So, we're on the right path, but we can always do better and improve. So, that's the aim,” Viktor replied when asked about his ambitions in the Premier League for Arsenal this season.
Viktor’s first goal was followed by his traditional mask celebration, but after scoring his second goal, he flicked his hair in front of the camera. Certain Manchester United fans mocked Viktor on social media, claiming he had more touches of his hair than of the ball in Arsenal’s last encounter against the Red Devils.
“Did that have anything to do with that?” “It could be,” Viktor signed off, smirking. Arsenal next face off against Liverpool on Sunday, August 31st, at the Anfield Stadium.
