Arsenal news: Alan Shearer issues Viktor Gyokeres verdict as Gunners given new title hope

Arsenal secured a 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday thanks to goals from Martin Zubimendi – who grabbed a brace – and Viktor Gyokeres, as the Gunners resumed their title bid

Arsenal got back to winning ways on Saturday with a 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest as they resumed their Premier League title hint.

The Gunners enjoyed a relatively comfortable day out as Martin Zubimendi netted a brace – the first of which came from a rocket volley – while Viktor Gyokeres was also on the scoresheet.

Mikel Arteta’s team now have three wins from four scoring nine goals in the process and letting in just one.

Arsenal still have some tough games ahead as they prepare for a tough trip to Athletic Bilbao in the Champions League, before hosting Premier League title rivals Manchester City at the Emirates next week.

After a positive return from the international break, Mirror Football has rounded up the latest Arsenal news and gossip.

READ MORE: Arsenal teammate left Viktor Gyokeres speechless after moment vs Nottingham ForestREAD MORE: Arsenal player ratings as two stars get 8/10 in win over Nottingham Forest

Alan Shearer backs Gyokeres after third goal

Gyokeres looks in full swing at Arsenal after notching his third goal for the club in Arsenal’s win at home to Forest, despite fears he could suffer a slow start to life at the Emirates.

The Sweden international joined in a £63m deal from Sporting Lisbon this summer but looked like he might need time to adapt to the Premier League after failing to score on his debut against Manchester United.

He then followed that up with a brace in a 5-0 win over Leeds. While he also failed to notch against Liverpool, he grabbed another strike against Forest on Saturday to make it a treble of strikes since his big move.

And Shearer, who currently holds the record for most goals in Premier League history, has backed him to continue his streak in the top flight – but only if his team-mates continue to give him good service.

“I think to get the best out of him, he’s going to need early balls into the box,” Shearer told Premier League Productions. “It’s a wonderful ball over the top, but the hardest part is for the winger to put that on a plate for Gyokeres, first-time ball, early ball, that’s exactly what he demands.

“If Arsenal continue to do that… they still didn’t get the balance right as I said at half-time, but I thought it was a little bit better in the second half when [Riccardo] Calafiori whipped one or two early balls in. He’ll get a shed load of goals if they keep on getting balls into the box early.”

McCoist gives Arsenal title hope

There’s no doubt that most pundits are going for Liverpool when asked for their pick as Premier League champions this season.

That’s after the Reds completed a remarkable transfer window that saw them splash out more than £400m on high profile signings likes Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz, further adding to their title credentials.

Liverpool have already secured a 1-0 win over Arsenal before the international break to give themselves an early advantage over their rivals in the title race.

But after Arsenal’s impressive 3-0 win against Forest, pundit Ally McCoist believes there is a chance the Gunners could go all the way in the hunt for the crown – though ultimately feels Liverpool will clinch the title.

“I’ve got Liverpool to win the league. However, after watching them play at Liverpool, I think Arsenal will go really close,” McCoist said on TNT Sports.

Postecoglou shrugs off Arsenal fan chants

Ange Postecoglou was always going to get some stick from Arsenal fans as he made his return to the Emirates with Nottingham Forest, having managed their bitter rivals Tottenham in the last two seasons.

The home support will have been happy to stick the boot into the Australian with their confident win in his first game in charge and they added insult to injury with some brutal chants against him.

To the tune of Daydream Believer by Monkees, the supporters chanted: “Cheer up Postecoglou, oh what can it mean? To a fat Aussie b*****d and a s*** football team.”

There were also chants of: “Are you Tottenham in disguise?” and “You’re getting sacked in the morning,” but Postecoglou quickly brushed off the criticism after the game.

When asked about the chants in an interview with talkSport, he replied: “I love being back. I love that probably everyone will be writing me off again. I love the fight, mate, and I’m up for it. So let’s get it on.”

Postecoglou said the heavy defeat was “disappointing” but insisted there was still some encouragement to take from the performance.

He said: “‘[I am] disappointed with the outcome,” he said in a separate interview with the BBC. “It’s not nice losing any game. There is a strong mindset within the senior core of the group. I’m still as excited as the day I signed, I knew today would be tough but you have to take your medicine and move on.”

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