David Raya has warned his Arsenal teammates that Sporting CP forward Viktor Gyökeres is a “top player in form” as Mikel Arteta urged his strikers to find their ruthless streak to keep their Champions League hopes on track.
Gyökeres has become one of Europe’s most prolific forwards after netting 24 goals in 17 games this season, attracting interest from a host of Premier League clubs including Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and the Gunners.
Sporting host Arsenal at Estadio Jose Alvalade on Tuesday and Arsenal goalkeeper Raya said of Gyökeres: “We know his strengths, how he runs a lot in behind and scores a lot in one v. one and he is a top player in form.
“We are going to try and keep him very, very quiet. Don’t give him any chances. We have to step up defensively. Hopefully we can do a great job and keep a clean sheet.”
Arteta refused to be drawn on Gyökeres specifically, choosing instead to focus on Sporting’s collective threat, having beaten Manchester City 4-1 in Ruben Amorim’s final Champions League match before becoming United boss.
Gyökeres scored a hat trick that night and since joining Sporting from Coventry in 2022, he has scored 69 goals in 67 games across all competitions.
Asked how good the Sweden international is and how Arsenal can stop him, Arteta chose to focus on Sporting’s remarkable unbeaten 19-game run this season, including 17 victories.
“I would like to talk about the team, about the coaches and how phenomenal they have been,” said Arteta. “The run they are in is incredible. That tells you that it is not only the quality, the setup, the ambition, it is something about the team energy that they have. That is a great challenge that we have tomorrow, to come here and make a statement and show we are capable against this kind of opponent. Be ourselves and win the game.”
Pushed further on Gyökeres, Arteta replied: “I understand the question, but they have a lot of individual qualities. That’s why they can win games in various ways. And yes, in the specific position they have great players.”
Arsenal have won just one of their last eight away games in Europe and have not scored in their last four, a run dating back to last December’s 1-1 draw against PSV Eindhoven when the Gunners had already booked their spot in the knockout rounds.
“Not all the games have been the same. It’s true that within those games there were games that were when we had already qualified,” Arteta said. “Something that is very true is that we have to improve those results and we have to find ways to understand what has been missing. Sometimes it’s been performance, sometimes it’s been other aspects. That’s the next step we have to make as a team.
“I wouldn’t say that this is the most important thing but the efficiency that we have shown inside the box at this level with the chances that we are normally able to generate in the Champions League level, is not at the level required to win consistently.
“I always say the Champions League is about boxes, small margins and details. You have to get all of those right to win, especially away from home.
Sporting are second in the Champions League table, two points behind first-place Liverpool, while Arsenal sit in 12th on seven points after four matches.
