'You have to go somewhere else' - Mikel Arteta lays down 'pressure' warning to Viktor Gyokeres as Arsenal boss claims he isn't concerned by six-game goal drought

After bagging an astonishing 97 goals in 102 appearances for Sporting, Gyokeres’ transition to English football has been far from smooth. The 28-year-old has found the net only three times in 14 matches for club and country this season and hasn’t scored in eight straight games, a streak stretching back to September 13, when Arsenal beat Nottingham Forest 3-0. Now, as Arsenal gear up for their clash with Fulham on Saturday after the international break, Arteta has drawn a line in the sand as he warned that a striker who crumbles under pressure won’t survive at this club.

In a brutally honest assessment, Arteta revealed to the media what he told Gyokeres the moment he signed for Arsenal.

"I told him before the first meeting, I said, ‘the nine that I want is a nine that when he doesn’t score for six or eight games, he can handle that. If not, you have to go somewhere else because the expectation is going to be there’," he said.

“So, if you put on a nine shirt for Arsenal, you have to be able to say, ‘OK, six games, if I don’t score, I’m a different player? I start to act in a different way?’. No, I want much more of the same of what he’s doing."

Arteta then asked the media to take a walk down memory lane and added, "Going back in his history as well with Viktor, it's a very different one. The beginning, when he wasn't even playing much, and then how he evolved his career. Then in the last year, it was very difficult to find a gap of that because I think he scored in every single match, almost. But just preparing something. The context is going to change. It's part of football. 

"You see the history of the number nines. You’re going to have moments like this. He brings so much to the team. He creates space and solutions to a lot of the players around him. And with the talent that we have in the team, I’m sure that everybody, him included, will benefit from that.”

While the numbers look grim, Arteta is adamant that Gyokeres’ contribution goes far beyond goals. The Spaniard believes fans will soon appreciate the tactical sacrifices the Swede makes for the team.

"The first thing is that. That's going to give you something extra. Victor has so many things that probably are not noticeable," he said. "But as well, he creates environment and space and solutions to a lot of the players around him. And with the talent that we have in the team, I'm sure that everybody, him included, will benefit from that."

But it isn’t just Gyokeres who’s under the microscope. Arteta also confirmed a major setback with captain Martin Odegaard as the Norwegian has been ruled out for at least a month after suffering medial ligament damage in his left knee during Arsenal’s win over West Ham.

 “There is no definite date for Martin’s return, but he’s evolving well and he will be back in a few weeks," he said.

“He’s in a really good place. He cannot afford to be in a different mindset. He’s the captain. He needs to drive the standard. He needs to be the example. When you don’t have an option, you are a dad, you have to look after your kids. You have to be there. And that is his responsibility in the team.”

Despite the challenges, Arsenal find themselves sitting top of the Premier League, taking full advantage of Liverpool’s recent slump. A win over Fulham this weekend would stretch their lead at the summit to four points, putting pressure squarely on Liverpool, who host Manchester United on Sunday.

Asked whether Arsenal can finally end their 22-year wait for the Premier League title, Arteta’s response was firm but measured. “It is possible. We will if we continue to win a lot of football matches. I’m sure we will be there.”

And as Arsenal’s title push intensifies, all eyes will once again fall on Gyokeres. The pressure is enormous, but so is the faith his manager has placed in him.