Viktor Gyokeres gives Mikel Arteta what he wants amid Arsenal Premier League title race

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Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres scored a timely hat-trick for Sweden as he prepares for the Premier League title race run in

Arsenal talisman Viktor Gyokeres netted a hat-trick as he inspired Sweden's push for World Cup qualification as they beat Ukraine.

The £64million man has seemingly found his goalscoring boots at the right time with the Gunners in the midst of a Premier League title battle. Mikel Arteta's side will need a lift upon the return to club football in April after the international break following their Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City.

Gyokeres has netted 11 Premier League goals in his first season in England following his big-money move from Sporting CP. The 27-year-old proved his importance to Graham Potter as Sweden took a huge step towards qualifying for this summer's tournament.

The Arsenal star's hat-trick came with Sweden without British-record signing Alexander Isak as the Liverpool striker continues his recovery from a broken leg. Gyokeres' treble also handed the former Chelsea and Brighton head coach his first win as Sweden head coach.

Sweden have to overcome Poland, who come from behind to beat Albania in Warsaw, for a place in the World Cup this summer.

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Gyokeres' treble will do his confidence the world of good and it comes, a matter of months after Arteta gave him his public backing.

He said in December: "The level of attention on him hasn't changed since when he signed to today.

"It is normal. Everybody was so excited to bring a nine into the club. We did it. We brought a player with an incredible goalscoring record who had to adapt to the league. He had no preseason.

"The first few weeks were difficult because physically he wasn't in his best state and he is a player who needs that like any other player in this league almost to perform at that level. Then he kicked on, he had a really good period and he got injured.

"Now, I saw a lot of positive things in the last two games that he's done. We need to continue to tweak and understand him a little bit better in certain situations and he needs to do the same. But that's about time and we have full support for him."

The weight of expectation on Gyokeres would have been significant as he had to fill the void with the Liverpool striker out injured.

Going into Thursday's encounter against Ukraine, he hadn't found the back of the net in each of their five World Cup qualification matches as they endured a turgid campaign, resulting in Potter replacing Jon Dahl Tomasson.

Gyokeres opened the scoring as he finished well from close-range before doubling his tally five minutes into the second-half. The forward weaved his way betwen two Ukraine markers before stabbing into the bottom corner, then completing his hat-trick from the penalty spot.

Ukraine manager Serhiy Rebrov felt the striker showed why he is one of the best forward's in Europe after his display. He said: "I believed in my team throughout the match.

"We did everything we could and had chances to score, but their early goal hurt us, just as it did in the second half. We finished the match well, but it wasn’t enough.

"Viktor Gyokeres made the difference tonight. He showed his quality and proved he’s one of the best strikers in Europe."