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THURSDAY | OCT 23, 2025

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Viktor Gyokeres (4th right) scores Arsenal’s fourth goal during yesterday’s Champions League match against Atletico Madrid at the Emirates Stadium. – REUTERSPIC

Blazing Gunners Gunners

Gyokeres makes Arsenal

a better team, says Arteta after Atletico rout

Ű BY PHILIP DUNCAN AND KIERAN JACKSON

sooner or later.” Atletico had scored seven goals in their opening two Champions League matches but rarely looked like threatening Arsenal’s back line as Arteta’s men recorded a third clean sheet in as many games in Europe and a fourth in a row in all competitions. Manager Diego Simeone rued Atletico’s “individual mistakes” after yesterday’s humbling defeat. The visitors could have taken the lead early in the second half after Julian Alvarez hit the crossbar but then Simeone’s side were powerless to stop a red onslaught at the Emirates. “We competed very well until the first Arsenal goal, then we couldn’t compete,” Simeone said, in his post-match press confer ence. “It can come down to fine margins in terms of taking the game into your control or not and it’s not down to bad luck, it’s down to mistakes. “They made the most of our mistakes. They took their chances and all their big chances turned into goals. “We could have scored with Julian (Alvarez) in the first half, he hit the bar in the second half, we competed well as a team but this is a lesson we can learn. You have to be clinical in different phases of the game. “It’s individual mistakes that affect the team, it’s losing your man in a set-piece, for the third goal we were too meek and ended up conced ing a goal from that. “These are small details that can turn the game in one team’s favour … there are situa tions we can resolve collectively but when it comes to individual decisions, it’s hard to help with that.” – The Independent

M IKEL ARTETA has challenged Viktor Gyokeres to build on his brace against Atletico Madrid after hailing his new striker for making Arsenal a much better team. Gyokeres ended his seven-match streak without a goal by scoring twice in three min utes at the Emirates Stadium as Arsenal com pleted a thumping 4-0 win in the Champions League. Gabriel opened the scoring for the home side after 57 minutes, with Gabriel Martinelli extending Arsenal’s advantage seven minutes later before Gyokeres’ quickfire double. Speaking on the eve of yesterday’s group fix ture under the lights, Mikel Merino insisted it was only a matter of time before Gyokeres ended his goal drought, and the Sweden inter national’s teammates were visibly delighted to see him score. And manager Arteta said: “Viktor deserved it because everything that we were seeing in terms of what he was bringing to the team and how much he was helping the team in many areas, apart from scoring goals in the last few weeks, there was no debate about that. “It was about keeping that belief in himself, that emotional state that he can enjoy and play freely. He had a big smile on his face. “I look at his teammates as well, they are all so happy for him because he fully deserved it. “He makes us a much better team. We’ve become much more unpredictable. He’s so physical and the way he presses the ball, and holds the ball, that’s phenomenal. “And then the icing on the cake is the goals. He’s scored two very different ones today, and

Atletico Madrid’s Marcos Llorente (left) vies for the ball with Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli. – REUTERSPIC

most important thing and of course I want to contribute and score goals. “To score four and keep a clean sheet again is very good. We always keep going. We do the things right when we defend and when we get the chances we are extremely strong in taking those. “Both my goals were great. I try to do my best all the time and work hard, contribute with different stuff and the goals would have come

hopefully he starts to get some momentum now and goes on a good run.” Arsenal, who moved to the top of the Premier League with a 1-0 win at Fulham on Saturday, join defending champions Paris St Germain and last season’s beaten finalists Inter Milan on nine points from the nine available and on course for the knockout rounds. Speaking to CBS , Gyokeres said: “We want to win trophies, that’s our desire and that’s the

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