Vieira backs Gyokeres to finish strong as Arsenal title race heats up

Patrick Vieira has thrown his support behind Viktor Gyokeres to deliver a decisive late-season impact, insisting the Arsenal forward still has more to offer as the Premier League title battle intensifies.

Gyokeres has shown flashes of his goalscoring instinct in recent weeks, finding the net against Everton, Southampton and Bournemouth in league action.

However, the Swedish striker has struggled to maintain that rhythm on bigger stages, drawing blanks in Arsenal’s Champions League quarter-final second leg against Sporting CP and in a crucial domestic clash with Manchester City.

The inconsistency reflects a broader adaptation period following his summer move from Sporting, where he had established himself as a prolific scorer.

His early months in North London were marked by a slow start, but his performances since the turn of the year have underlined his growing importance within Arsenal’s attacking structure.

With City now ahead in the title race, attention has turned to whether Arsenal’s leading striker can rediscover his cutting edge at a pivotal moment in the campaign. The Senegal-born Arsenal great remains convinced that Gyokeres’ work ethic and movement will soon translate into goals.

“I’ve seen him working hard out of possession, and he’s always working hard for the team.

“I’ve seen him making the run to create that space, and for some reason, the ball didn’t get there yet.

“But I think he’s somebody who has more to give than what we’ve seen, and I like his energy, and I like his spirit when he’s on the field.

“He’s a real team player, and scoring goals, he will score goals, I don’t have any doubt about that.”

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has since afforded his squad a brief reset ahead of a demanding fixture against Newcastle, a move that could prove timely for Gyokeres as he looks to regain sharpness.