Arsenal dressing room's true feelings on Viktor Gyokeres goal drought

Viktor Gyokeres has failed to make much of a mark at Arsenal after securing a dramatic summer transfer from Sporting CP, as he currently endures a nine-game goal-scoring drought for club and country

Mikel Merino believes that Viktor Gyokeres will come in good for Arsenal given more time, despite enduring nine games without scoring for club or country.

The Swedish striker arrived at the Emirates Stadium this summer in a £63.5million move from Sporting CP, but has failed to live up to expectations just yet. Gyokeres managed 54 goals across all competitions for the Portuguese giants last term, but has failed to replicate his thirst for finding the back of the net on English soil.

While the 27-year-old managed a brace in Arsenal's 5-0 demolition of Leeds United in August, as well as a goal in the Gunners' 3-0 drubbing of Nottingham Forest, he has failed to score in the seven games he has been a part of with the club since mid-September.

Meanwhile, on the international front, Gyokeres has also failed to hit the mark for Sweden as of recent - returning from the recent international break with a 2-0 loss to Switzerland and a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Kosovo to show for his efforts.

In total, it marks nine games in a row that Gyokeres has failed to score in. However, team-mate Merino doesn't see the goal drought as a cause for concern just yet.

Speaking during a press conference on Monday, ahead of Arsenal's Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid, the Spaniard said of the centre-forward: "I am sure goals will come, I am sure he wants to score as much as anyone else.

"I am pretty sure he is providing the best performances on and off the ball for his team-mates."

He added: "Everyone needs that love, everyone needs to feel comfortable to be surrounded by nice people. Viktor is just an example but everyone is wishing him to keep doing what he's doing. The most important thing is the team wins."

He continued: "He has the tools the physicality, the players around him. But we cannot be focusing only on the numbers. If you see the games you see how much he can give us."

Despite a lack of goals from their marquee summer signing as of late, Arsenal currently sit first in the Premier League standings, three points clear of Manchester City and with a gap of four points on defending champions Liverpool.

However, Mikel Arteta will now turn his attention to the Europe, as the Gunners prepare to play host to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday evening. The north London outfit has impressed in the competition thus far, courtesy of wins over Athletic Club and Olympiacos in their opening two fixtures.

And speaking during the same conference, the manager explained exactly what Arsenal are up against in their upcoming encounter with Diego Simeone's men. He said: "First of all, the willingness to win. You can sense that in every single ball, in every single yard, the way they play, so it's about how they compete and then after how they play.

"I think there are two very different things, and in order to have to analyse what they are, the level of organisation is really high, the level of discipline is really high and then they have acquired a lot of talent throughout the years that are very specific for the needs and the way they want to play and they are very, very good at exploiting those opportunities."