Viktor Gyokeres provides belief he will deliver the goods for Arsenal with first goal in win over Athletic Club | OneFootball

He shoots; he scores. We always knew he could, but we did not know he would. Not for sure, anyway, and even less likely with his head. But that is how Viktor Gyokeres scored his first Arsenal goal in only his second start of pre-season action.

The Swedish striker, billed as the answer to Arsenal’s perceived goalscoring problems, netted 97 times in 102 appearances for the Portuguese side Sporting CP, only five of which came from his head.

Arsenal completed their extensive pre-season programme by beating Athletic Club 3-0 in the Emirates Cup and a goal for Gyokeres was just what he and Arsenal needed to boost confidence ahead of their very testing opening fixture of the Premier League season, away to Manchester United.

Manager Mikel Arteta has had his Arsenal side playing a more direct, attacking style in their five warm-up matches this summer, to get the best out of having an out and out striker. And it was Martin Zubimendi’s quick cross into the box that created the opportunity for Gyokeres to head in a classy well-directed header.

The packed Emirates Stadium greeted the goal as if it were a big-match decider and they were rewarded with the first show of the Swede’s trademark mask celebration.

Perhaps it was a mixture of relief as well as happiness that the  £64m signing can find the back of the net just as comfortably in Arsenal’s red and white as the green and black of his former club.

And Arteta’s men started playing with a bit more freedom after the goal, as Bukayo Saka almost instantly doubled their lead with the help of a perfectly weighted Gabriel Martinelli through pass.

Big Vik so nearly made it two goals with his head when he hit the post with a spectacular diving effort from an inviting cross from impressive half-time substitute Noni Madueke.

Arteta was taking no chances with his star signing and withdrew him for Kai Havertz for the final 20 minutes or so.

That was always the plan as Gyokeres missed a lot of pre-season training while his move from Portugal was being finalised. He now has a week to fine tune his fitness to peak for a meeting with his former Sporting manager Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford.

A further boost for Arteta was the attitude and finishing of Havertz. Last season’s leading scorer is the player most likely to lose a starting place following Gyokeres’ arrival and his strong run and finish to score Arsenal’s third showed they will have more than one goalscoring outlet this season.