Viktor Gyokeres says he’s not going to listen to everything people write and say about him, instead choosing to focus on what he can control.
For most summer striker signings settling in at a new club, scoring three goals in four Premier League games would be considered a strong start.
That’s what Viktor Gyokeres has managed with Arsenal so far, meaning the only player in the league to score more is Manchester City’s Erling Haaland with five. A tasty statistic considering the two will face off against each other on Sunday afternoon.
Yet Gyokeres has still had vocal critics in his early days in north London, in part because his goals came against Leeds United and Nottingham Forest, and not Manchester United and Liverpool.
It’s obviously harder to score away from home against the big-six teams, no matter who you are. It’s just inevitable you’ll have fewer chances and less control of the game when you play against better teams, which does impact strikers.
The question marks will remain until Gyokeres proves he can step up and score in those games as well. But the player himself told Sky Sports this week that he’s not going to listen to all the critics.
“You have to believe in yourself and keep going, no matter what happens – whether that’s on the pitch or outside,” Gyokeres said. “I don’t think you have to take in what everyone around you says. You don’t have to listen to everything you hear.”
“When I played in Portugal there was also a lot of [scrutiny]. They live for football there as well,” Gyokeres reflected.
“So in one sense, it’s a bit similar but of course it’s much, much bigger here. They analyse everything you do. But that’s the way it is, there’s nothing wrong with that.
“Maybe it isn’t my number one priority to read everything that’s being said or what people write. It’s just think about the things you can control and do those things right.”
Arsenal fans might well argue that it’s not the big games the team have struggled with in recent seasons. Up until Dominik Szoboszlai’s excellent late winner at Anfield, Mikel Arteta’s side were actually on a lengthy unbeaten streak in those matches.
The games against the mid-table teams that set up to frustrate Arsenal have generally been the problem fixtures, holding the team back from league titles.
Yet on Sunday at least, the goal for Gyokeres will be to score against a top side in Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.