Viktor Gyokeres admitted the role of Arsenal centre-forward demands constant high-level output after helping secure a 3-2 EFL Cup semi-final first-leg win at Chelsea. The forward ended a month without scoring, yet also stressed that the advantage before the return game on February 3 still leaves work to do.
The Sweden international had gone four matches without a goal in any competition, following the 1-0 victory at Everton on December 12. That run drew criticism from pundits and supporters, increasing scrutiny on Gyokeres as Mikel Arteta continued to start the striker in key fixtures.
The tie at Stamford Bridge put Arsenal in a strong position to reach the EFL Cup final, but Alejandro Garnacho’s second-half double ensured Chelsea stayed in contention.
Arsenal carried a narrow one-goal lead into the second leg, aware the contest remained finely balanced despite controlling long spells of the first meeting.
Recent history gives Arsenal another reason for caution. Arteta’s squad are attempting to stop a sequence of four straight semi-final exits in major competitions. Those failures arrived in the 2020-21 Europa League, the 2021-22 EFL Cup, the 2024-25 EFL Cup and the 2024-25 Champions League, marking the club’s longest such streak.
| Season | Competition | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 2020-21 | Europa League | Semi-final elimination |
| 2021-22 | EFL Cup | Semi-final elimination |
| 2024-25 | EFL Cup | Semi-final elimination |
| 2024-25 | Champions League | Semi-final elimination |
Against Chelsea, Gyokeres produced both a goal and an assist, directly shaping the scoreline. The striker struck in the 49th minute after Robert Sanchez failed to hold Ben White’s cross. Later, calm hold-up play allowed Martin Zubimendi to fire in Arsenal’s third goal on 71 minutes, giving Gyokeres a first assist for the club.
| Arsenal player | Goals 2024-25 (all competitions) |
|---|---|
| Gabriel Martinelli | 9 |
| Viktor Gyokeres | 8 |
The finish at Stamford Bridge was Gyokeres’ first EFL Cup goal since scoring for Brighton against Portsmouth in September 2020. It also moved the forward to eight goals in all competitions since joining Arsenal, with only Gabriel Martinelli ahead on nine. Those numbers underline growing importance in Arteta’s attacking structure.
"That's what I need to do, and I can do it more often. We won today and we keep going. There's still a second leg, but of course, it's good to come away with a win and an advantage for the second leg. We still have to give a good performance in the second match. I think it was a tough game. We defended well. They were, as always, dangerous when they had counter-attacks, but I think we defended well. We were unfortunate to concede two, but offensively we scored three, so we're happy with that. "
Gyokeres’ comments reflected both relief and realism. The forward acknowledged the need to contribute regularly if the starting centre-forward position is to remain secure, especially with strong competition in Arsenal’s squad. The focus within the camp appeared to be on repeating the attacking sharpness, while tightening defensive details before February’s second leg.
Ben White also delivered a notable display, scoring the first goal and then sending in the cross that Sanchez spilled for Gyokeres to convert. The right-back, however, felt Arsenal’s standards slipped after the interval, as Chelsea applied pressure and capitalised through Garnacho’s brace during an open second period.
"We didn't play very well in the second half and let them put us under more pressure," White said. "That's how we conceded the goals. It was not up to our standards really. It's a bit disappointing, the second half, but we got the win. "
Arsenal left Stamford Bridge with a lead, two away goals from Gyokeres and Zubimendi, and renewed belief that the semi-final barrier can finally be broken. The squad still recognise the tie remains balanced, yet performances from Gyokeres and White gave Arteta clear positives to carry into the decisive match on February 3.
