Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta believes the recent upturn in form from Viktor Gyokeres is the result of patience, belief and the striker finally feeling at home in north London.
After a testing start following his £63.5m summer move from Sporting CP, Gyokeres has begun to deliver, most notably with a brace in last week’s derby win over Tottenham Hotspur.
Momentum is now building, and Arteta feels confidence has been the missing piece.
“I think confidence is the fundamental pillar for any person,” said Arteta.
“In general whatever you do in life and when you feel like you belong somewhere, that you are liked, you are loved even better, and if you feel the trust of the people around you, then you can really hit the levels that everybody expects from you.
“And I think Viktor now is in a moment that he starts to get those kinds of feelings and that’s a really positive thing obviously to perform.”
He added: “We tried to explain to him all the new circumstances and context that he’s going to have to adapt and embrace when you come here.
“The big one was obviously a different league, a different game model, players that he never played with before.
“And on top of that you come with expectation of bringing that number 9 shirt on your back, and that’s a big one.”
With Gyokeres now settling into the rhythm and physical demands of the Premier League, Arsenal are beginning to see the rewards.
As confidence grows, so too does the sense that the striker is ready to shoulder the responsibility that comes with leading the line at the Emirates.
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