After Prolific Sporting Spell, Gyokeres Branded “Non-Existent” in Premier League Debut Against United

Key Takeaways:

• Viktor Gyokeres made his first Premier League appearance for Arsenal on Sunday at Old Trafford
• The Swedish striker did not register a shot and completed four of nine passes before being substituted after 60 minutes
• Portuguese media criticised Gyokeres’s display, describing it as “non-existent” following his prolific spell at Sporting

Match Analysis: Arsenal Claim Narrow Victory Despite Striker’s Struggles

Viktor Gyokeres was handed a starting berth for Arsenal in their opening Premier League fixture of the season against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday, having recently arrived from Sporting in a high-profile transfer. Despite Arsenal securing a hard-fought 1-0 result, the forward was unable to make an impression, failing to attempt a single shot and recording just four completed passes from nine attempts.

Mikel Arteta opted to replace Gyokeres with Kai Havertz after 60 minutes amid an unproductive outing from the new signing. While the Gunners managed to collect all three points, attention quickly turned to Gyokeres’s underwhelming contribution up front.

Reaction from Portugal: Expectations Versus Reality

The response to Gyokeres’s debut was especially pointed from Portuguese media outlets, reflecting on his stellar record of 97 goals in 102 matches for Sporting. Newspaper A Bola led with the headline, “This is the Premier League, Gyökeres,” and detailed how his performance amounted to a “day to forget,” labelling the striker “very little, non-existent.” The publication further suggested he appeared “without rhythm and heavy,” and “completely out of place in a team with very different principles of play to Sporting.”

A Bola highlighted a key incident shortly before the substitution, noting: “At 52 minutes he received space on the left to do what he likes most… but the ball escaped, he lost it and ended up committing a foul, to the great delight of Manchester United fans.”

Manager’s Response: Arteta’s Perspective on Gyokeres’s Debut

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta reflected on the striker’s first league appearance, offering a measured assessment while addressing areas for improvement. He told reporters: “Well he did a lot of things very good. You can tell especially in our high press and rhythm that we demand, that especially in the first half we were giving a bit too much time. It is something that we have to work on him, especially there.

“Then in the final action situation, he did not have that many chances to do that, because in the previous action, we had to play that last ball and the line was standing still with 40 metres to play. We did not manage to put the ball through to exploit his quality. But overall, coming away to Man United, winning your first game with Arsenal, is a good start.”

Upcoming Fixture

Both Gyokeres and Arsenal will have the opportunity to respond to the criticism when they return to Premier League action on Saturday, taking on Leeds United at the Emirates.