Viktor Gyokeres marked his home debut in stunning fashion with a brace on Saturday as Arsenal stormed past Leeds United 5-0 to maintain their perfect start to the Premier League season.
The Gunners were two goals up by half-time thanks to Jurrien Timber’s header and a stoppage-time strike from Bukayo Saka, before Gyokeres lit up Emirates Stadium with his first goals in red and white.
Timber then doubled his tally after the break, and 15-year-old debutant Max Dowman won a late penalty that Gyokeres dispatched to complete a resounding victory.
“We found ourselves 2-0 ahead at the break thanks to a Jurrien Timber header and Bukayo Saka’s injury-time strike which took the game away from the visitors,” the club match report noted.
Gyokeres, who was unveiled to a raucous Emirates crowd alongside fellow new signing Eberechi Eze before kick-off, wasted little time in making his mark. Just two minutes after the restart, he powered his way past Pascal Struijk and slotted home coolly.
It read, “The feel-good factor was bouncing around Emirates Stadium during half-time, and it reached new heights two minutes after the restart when the moment everyone inside our home wanted to see happened.”
While injuries to captain Martin Ødegaard and Saka were setbacks, Arsenal’s attacking depth shone through. Timber, more known for his defensive prowess, capped an unlikely brace following another dangerous Declan Rice corner.
The evening, however, belonged to debutant Dowman. At just 15 years and 235 days, he became the third youngest player in Premier League history. His fearlessness was rewarded deep into stoppage time when his driving run drew a foul inside the box.
“In stoppage-time, Dowman’s pace and trickery move saw him draw a foul from Anton Stach which doesn’t give referee Jarred Gillett any other option than to point to the spot, allowing Gyokeres to power home the penalty to cap a fine evening’s work.”
The emphatic win put Arsenal on top of the Premier League table and also serves as morale booster ahead of a blockbuster clash with reigning champions Liverpool at Anfield next weekend.
