Arsenal's Victor Gyöckeres has revealed that his experience of winning back-to-back league titles with Sporting is helping him handle the Premier League title race - and he insisted he is going into it "without any fear".
The Sweden international, who joined Arsenal from Sporting CP last summer, Spoke to DAZN in Portugal About how his time in Lisbon prepared him for this moment in England.
Over the past two seasons, Gyökeres scored 97 goals and provided 27 assists in 102 matches. He was at the center of Sporting's historic league double. Now 27, he believes the experience in North London is proving decisive.
"In the last two years, I went through a very similar situation in different aspects, where we fought for the title," He said.
"Yes, it was difficult at different stages of the season and the rivals were close to us in the table," He continued. “But fortunately, I managed to finish first in both seasons at Sporting, which was obviously fantastic.”
Experience shaping Arsenal's title push
Arsenal remain firmly in the Premier League title race, and Gyöckeres has already contributed 15 goals in 37 appearances in the competition. This includes two goals in the recent derby win over Tottenham.
Despite facing scrutiny from parts of the British media at the start of the season, the striker appears to have settled rapidly. Importantly, he believes the psychological aspect of past title fights is now a major asset.
"Now being in this position with Arsenal (having gained experience) is helping me to have the confidence and enthusiasm to continue in this position at this time, without too much fear," He added.
That line emerges. Confidence under pressure is not guaranteed for a player adjusting to the Premier League after dominating in Portugal. However, Gyökeres suggests he has already been through the emotional ups and downs of a tough title race.
Why does this matter to Arsenal?
Arsenal invested heavily to bring him in. With its price tag, expectations were immediate. while their numbers are so far solid rather than spectacularThe broader picture is more encouraging.
Firstly, he has performed well in big moments. Secondly, he brings the experience of seeing the narrow edge at the top of the table. That mentality could be important in the run-in.
Mikel Arteta's team is competing in one of the most demanding leagues in Europe. Yet Gyökeres' observations indicate that, internally, there is peace rather than anxiety.
If Arsenal are to turn contention into silverware, they will need players who treat pressure as a routine. By his own admission, Gyöckeres now does exactly that – without any fear.
