Mikel Arteta reserved special praise for Viktor Gyökeres after Arsenal secured a dramatic 3-2 victory over Chelsea in the first leg of their EFL Cup semi-final at Stamford Bridge. The Swedish forward delivered a decisive performance, underlining his growing importance in Arteta’s system.
“He has been exceptional in a lot of areas, but today he showed his best quality, which is to put the ball in the net,” Arteta said after the match, summing up Gyökeres’ impact on a tense London derby night.
Arsenal made a fast start when Ben White opened the scoring early, setting the tone for an end-to-end contest. Chelsea responded through Alejandro Garnacho, who struck twice to briefly swing the momentum in the hosts’ favour. However, Arsenal showed composure and resilience, traits Arteta has consistently demanded from his side this season.
Gyökeres restored parity shortly after the break with a composed finish, before Martin Zubimendi sealed the win with a well-taken goal in the 71st minute. The strike proved to be the difference as Arsenal regained control and managed the closing stages effectively.