"Hugged him and said thank you" - Mikel Arteta hails Arsenal star's 'unbelievable' work for the team after win against West Ham

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has praised Viktor Gyokeres for the work he puts in for the team. He expressed his surprise at the Swede not scoring in their 2-0 win over West Ham United at home on Saturday.

The Gunners comfortably beat the Hammers in their Premier League clash at the Emirates. Declan Rice opened the scoring in the 38th minute before Bukayo Saka added another via a penalty in the 67th minute. Viktor Gyokeres, meanwhile, played the entire game but failed to get a goal.

The Swedish striker missed two big chances, completed 5/11 passes, completed 1/2 dribble attempts, and won 6/10 duels (via SofaScore). After the game, Mikel Arteta was asked if Gyokeres' work at Arsenal is going under the radar, and he answered (via Tribuna.com):

"I just went there and hugged him and said thank you because the work that he does is unbelievable for the team. The way he stretches the back four and the spaces he opens. I mean today how he hasn’t scored a goal, I don’t know."

Arsenal signed Gyokeres from Sporting CP for a reported fee of £63.5 million, including add-ons, in the summer. He has scored three goals in 10 games across competitions this season.

Mikel Arteta expresses his pride after Arsenal's win over West Ham

The Gunners' 2-0 win over West Ham in the Premier League marked their fourth consecutive win across competitions. They previously beat Port Vale 2-0 in the EFL Cup Third Round, Newcastle United 2-1 in the Premier League, and Olympiacos 2-0 in the UEFA Champions League.

After the game, Mikel Arteta assessed his side's performances and results, and said (via Arsenal.com):

"The last two games have been very special. Newcastle, because we had a history there, a lot of scars and a lot of learnings to take, we put that right. Then we had West Ham, losing two games at home in the previous two seasons.

"I told them it was a big opportunity, we’ve had very difficult fixtures since the start of the season, and some very bad injuries as well not helping. Still, the team is performing, playing well, winning today with absolute dominance and without conceding a goal. So, good to get to the international break in this spirit."

Arsenal will go into the international break at the top of the Premier League table. They sit a point above Liverpool, who lost 2-1 at Chelsea on Saturday.

About the author

Aditya has been working as a European football journalist and editor for Sportskeeda for close to 4 years. He boasts a total experience of over 7 years, and always aims to inculcate proper context in his articles, making the most of his prior stints in writing and marketing across a number of different industries over the years. He has also played football at college level for 2 years.

A B.Tech. graduate, Aditya's journey as an ardent football fan began after watching the elegant maestro Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and his infamous headbutt on Marco Materazzi in the final. He has been a fan of Tottenham Hotspur's front foot and creative football since 2008 and connect's with the club's underdog status.

Aditya, who is a Sportskeeda 'Long-form Editor of the Month' award winner, is a big admirer of Luka Modric's elegant and hard-working style of play. His favorite manager is Carlo Ancelotti because the Italian allows his players enough freedom in an age where micromanagement is the established norm.

Aditya feels Jude Bellingham and Jamal Musiala could replicate the Messi-Ronaldo rivalry due to their incredible collective potential. In his free time, he likes to read classical fiction, travel to places, and explore a variety of foods.

Know More

Edited by Aditya Singh