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As Arsenal resume their bid for Champions League glory, can Viktor Gyokeres start firing again?
Arsenal saw their 18-game unbeaten run ended with a dramatic 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa on Saturday and will now look to bounce back when they travel to Club Brugge in the UEFA Champions League Matchday 6 on Wednesday.
If the loss at Villa Park was not enough to send Gunners fans reaching for the panic button, it did provide cause for concern as Viktor Gyokeres failed to find the net for the third successive game.
Here, DAZN News' Ross Heppenstall analyses the Sweden striker’s stats following his big-money move to the Emirates.
Background
Arsenal have finished runners-up in the Premier League in each of the past three seasons.
They also went close in the Champions League last term, reaching the semi-finals where they lost to eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain.
Their failure to win any silverware in the past five years has been largely attributed to a lack of firepower.
So in the summer, Mikel Arteta signed Gyokeres from Portuguese giants Sporting Club in a deal worth up to £64million on a five-year contract.
Getty Images
Dream home debut
Gyokeres made his bow for the Gunners in their 1-0 win at Manchester United on the opening day of the season.
Six days later, the 27-year-old striker scored twice in a 5-0 demolition of newly-promoted Leeds United at the Emirates.
Gyokeres jinked into the box to score Arsenal's third with a low strike before converting a penalty with almost the last kick of the game.
It was the perfect introduction to the Emirates as he looked to acclimatise to the demands of top-flight English football, having previously starred for Coventry City in the second tier.
The start of things to come? Well, not quite.
Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
Struggles for club and country
After his brace against Leeds, Gyokeres scored again in a 3-0 home victory against Nottingham Forest on September 13.
That made it three goals in his first five appearances, but from there the imposing Swede embarked on a worrying drought.
Gyokeres failed to score in nine games for club and country before finally getting on the scoresheet again in a 4-0 home win over Atletico Madrid on October 21.
He then scored in a 2-0 victory at Burnley on November 1 but has not found the net again since.
Although Arsenal have topped the Premier League and Champions League tables this season, Gyokeres’ contribution has been underwhelming.
He has netted just six goals in 21 appearances for club and country.
Injury problems and criticism over weight
Gyokeres’ form and fitness have come under scrutiny during his struggles in front of goal.
After starting Arsenal’s first 10 league fixtures, Gyokeres has been limited to a bench spot since returning from a muscle injury in November.
Last month, ex-Arsenal and Sweden midfielder Stefan Schwarz claimed the striker’s heavy build could be holding him back from achieving the goalscoring form he did at Sporting.
Schwarz said: “Hopefully, he'll start to create and score goals, have a good run, get that real boost, and get a bit lighter because he's a heavy player. I think that would help.”
Gyokeres, who stands 6ft 2in, previously hit back at critics calling him 'fat' at Sporting and proved them wrong in style.
Can he rediscover his scoring touch?
Gyokeres’ performances have earned him praise from Arteta this season, but the Gunners need him to start firing again.
Saturday’s defeat at Aston Villa ended their long unbeaten run and raised question marks over their title pedigree.
Gyokeres’ ability is not in doubt, but the Swede believes his side must be more inventive in the final third if they are to rediscover their best form.
Speaking after the Villa defeat, he said: “We have to keep creating chances and get shots on goal because then you'll eventually score more goals.
“If we focus on what we can control and do in our favour and focus on the next game, we'll be better, I think.”
That starts tonight in Belgium, where Arteta’s men will look to make it six wins out of six in the Champions League.
Full Champions League fixture list for Round 6
Tuesday, 9 December
- Kairat Almaty vs Olympiacos
- Bayern Munich vs Sporting CP
- Atalanta vs Chelsea
- Barcelona vs Eintracht Frankfurt
- Inter vs Liverpool
- Monaco vs Galatasaray
- PSV Eindhoven vs Atletico Madrid
- Tottenham Hotspur vs Slavia Prague
- Union St. Gilloise vs Marseille
Wednesday, 10 December
- Qarabag FK vs Ajax
- Villareal vs FC København
- Athletic Club vs PSG
- Leverkusen vs Newcastle
- Benfica vs Napoli
- Dortmund vs Bodø/Glimt
- Club Brugge vs Arsenal
- Juventus vs Pafos FC
- Real Madrid vs Man City
How to watch the Champions League in the USA on DAZN
Soccer fans in the US can watch selected Champions League matches as part of their DAZN subscription package, in Spanish language.
For each match week, DAZN will have exclusive coverage of the top three pick games, including the likes of Real Madrid, Manchester City, Liverpool, and PSG, in Spanish. Click here to see which games are available on DAZN.
An annual subscription costs $19.99 per month for 12 months and also provides access to 185 fight nights a year across boxing, MMA, PFL, BKFC, Glory and much more.
CBS has coverage of every Champions League match in English language this season. You can get more details and subscribe to CBS's Champions League coverage here.
Fans can watch extra Champions League games in Spanish on ViX. A selection of those matches are also available on UNIMÁS and TUDN.
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An annual subscription costs $14.99 per month for 12 months and also provides access to 185 fight nights a year across boxing, MMA, PFL, BKFC, Glory and much more.
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Watch every game of the Champions League this season in Canada with a DAZN subscription.
There are three subscription options, offering differing selections of sports in each. Access to every Champions League match is included in all three package offerings, ranging from $29.99 to $44.99 per month (for 12 months)
