The Japan Times - Arteta backs Gyokeres to impact Arsenal's trophy charge

Gyokeres had endured a disappointing time since joining Arsenal from Sporting Lisbon ahead of this season.

But following his double in last weekend's 4-1 win at arch-rivals Tottenham, the Sweden star has now scored eight goals in all competitions in 2026.

With 10 goals in the league this season, Gyokeres has already scored more than any Arsenal player did in the top flight last term.

Gyokeres' form has been well timed with Arsenal top of the Premier League and also in contention in three other competitions.

Arteta believes the 27-year-old can improve even more as he learns the Premier League and adapts to his Arsenal team-mates.

"I think one thing leads to another. When you score the first one or the performances are good, you have more time with your team-mates, you understand the games, the opponent, the league better. Everything helps," Arteta told reporters on Friday.

"We know his qualities. He is undoubtedly an incredible striker. We need to feed to his quality, we need to understand him better, he needs to understand the team, the league better, I think we are in the right trajectory."

Asked if Gyokeres had struggled with confidence earlier this season, Arteta added: "That's a question for him. Obviously I know the demands he puts on himself, the expectation that he has to help the team.

"I am confident because a lot of the times, our defenders, when they have to train against our players, you ask, 'How do you feel when you face him?' and they say, 'It's a nightmare'."

Arsenal host London rivals Chelsea on Sunday looking to maintain their five-point lead at the top of the Premier League.

Manchester City can temporarily trim the gap to two points if they win at Leeds on Saturday.

The Gunners defeated Chelsea in the League Cup semi-finals recently, but Arteta insisted that has no bearing on this weekend's clash.

"Chelsea have done different things while facing us. They can change throughout the game. They've got the manager and players who are comfortable doing that. We will be prepared and try to be better than them," he said.

"There's nothing else we can do. What we did two weeks ago or two years ago is irrelevant."

As well as battling for the Premier League title, Arsenal are through to the Champions League last 16, the League Cup final against Manchester City and the FA Cup fifth round.

The Champions League draw on Friday pitted the Gunners against German side Bayer Leverkusen.

"We are very excited to play the next round, we have earned the right to play here with our performance in the group stage," Arteta said.

"But we need to start analysing them now and find ways to be better than them to try to go through to the next round."

T.Kobayashi--JT