Viktor Gyokeres explains new Arsenal goal celebration in subtle dig at critics

Viktor Gyokeres finally scored his first goals for Arsenal as he grabbed a brace against Leeds in their 5-0 romp at the Emirates – and the Sweden star decided to hit back at his critics during his celebrations

Arsenal star Viktor Gyokeres admitted he poked fun at his critics by pretending to touch his hair while celebrating his second goal against Leeds United during their 5-0 thrashing of the newly-promoted side.

Gyokeres finally got off the mark for the Gunners by netting a brace at the Emirates, first after cutting in from the left and rifling in the corner before grabbing his second from the penalty spot.

There has been a huge amount of pressure on the Sweden star since joining Arsenal for £63million this summer amid question marks over whether he could replicate his incredible goalscoring feats with Sporting Lisbon.

Gyokeres scored 54 goals from 52 games with the Portuguese side last season and has been hailed as one of the most lethal finishers in Europe, but he struggled in Arsenal’s Premier League opener against Manchester United last week.

Many fans mocked him for having more touches of his pristine hair than the ball and he decided to hit back by touching his locks again after grabbing his brace.

READ MORE: Eberechi Eze breaks silence on £67.5m Arsenal transfer after emotional summer moveREAD MORE: Arsenal dealt huge double injury blow as Bukayo Saka forced off in Leeds match

When asked by Sky Sports host David Jones if his celebration had anything to do with the mockery over his hair, he chuckled before replying: “Yes, it might be… yeah. Could be.”

Speaking about the expectation on his shoulders to score goals for Arsenal, he replied: “It is always pressure. I know I’ll take my chances sooner or later. We won 5-0 so it was a great day. Of course, it was a short pre-season for me and not too many weeks training and then, of course, playing 90 minutes in pre-season.

“It was important for me to get 90 minutes and get the rhythm and to get to know the team even more during this game. I felt more comfortable in how we’re playing, and I think you can see that as well.

“I am comfortable when the ball is coming in-behind and then cutting inside. I know I’ll take the chance when I have it like that.”

When asked about the challenge Arsenal have going forward to ensure they remain in the mix for the title, he said: “It is difficult. All the teams we play against want to challenge us. We have to prepare for every game as best as possible, but we have an amazing team, and we train well and work hard every day.

“We have started off well with two wins and two clean sheets and a lot of goals. I think we are on the right path, but we can always do better and improve.”

His manager Mikel Arteta was delighted with the striker’s performance as he added: “Viktor is so powerful and determined in his actions and you see that when he has the space he can attack people.”

Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.