Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres sets Sweden record to send Arteta message

Viktor Gyökeres

Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres has written his name into the history books with Sweden, leaving media and fans questioning his current situation under Mikel Arteta.

The 28-year-old forward found the net once again during Sweden’s 1-1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Friday night. By doing so, he became the first player to score in six consecutive Nations League fixtures.

A historic night in Zenica

Gyokeres was a constant threat throughout the match, even seeing an early effort ruled out for handball following a VAR review. He made amends after the hour mark, showing immense strength to hold off a defender before firing a powerful shot into the roof of the net.

The strike was his third goal in three matches during the current international break, having already scored against Romania and Poland. It follows his brilliant form in the previous campaign, where he scored in three successive games against Estonia, Slovakia, and Azerbaijan.

With six consecutive scoring appearances, the Arsenal forward has surpassed the previous record of five matches, which was jointly held by Serbia’s Aleksandar Mitrovic and Slovenia’s Benjamin Sesko.

Sweden boss Graham Potter was pleased with the overall display, despite his side conceding a late equaliser. Speaking to reporters after the game, Potter said:

“I’m very happy with the team’s performance, really.”

The former Chelsea manager felt his team deserved more from the encounter but acknowledged they missed the chance to secure the win. Potter added:

“Our lead was well deserved, but we needed a second goal.”

The contrast between club and country

While Gyokeres continues to dominate on the international stage, his club career tells a very different story. The striker has endured a difficult autumn at Arsenal, where he has not managed a single goal for Arteta this term.

Swedish media outlets have highlighted this stark contrast, raising questions about why such a prolific international scorer is struggling to make an impact in North London. Swedish publication Expressen pointed out that while his minutes have been limited under Arteta, his goalscoring touch remains fully intact when wearing his national shirt.

Another Swedish outlet, SVT, awarded the striker a four out of five rating for his performance, noting that his international exploits continue to raise questions about his club form.

Gyokeres has previously proven his pedigree on this stage, finishing as the leading marksman during the 2024/25 Nations League campaign with nine strikes, ahead of Erling Haaland’s seven and Cristiano Ronaldo’s eight. His goals helped Sweden secure a lifeline in their bid to qualify for the World Cup and earned them promotion to League B.

An opportunity waiting at the Emirates

Despite his domestic struggles, the forward could soon get the chance he needs to kickstart his Arsenal career. Arteta is facing an injury crisis in attack following fitness issues affecting Kai Havertz and Christos Tzolis during the international break.

With key players sidelined, Gyokeres may be called upon to lead the line for the Gunners when domestic football resumes. Before returning to London, however, he must navigate one final international fixture.

Sweden are scheduled to face Romania once again early next week. Having played heavy minutes across three intense matches in a week, the forward will hope to extend his record-breaking scoring run to seven games before returning to fight for his place at the Emirates.