Arsenal News: Gyokeres on Penalty-Taker Decision as Saka Admits Tough Test

Top of the Table

Arsenal’s dominance of the Premier League has reached an 11-week mark, surpassing their previous record. Their narrow 1-0 win over Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium has propelled them to the top spot at Christmas for the fifth time. However, this achievement comes with a caveat, as they have failed to win the title in their previous four instances.

Gyokeres’ Penalty Explanation

The decisive factor in the match was Viktor Gyokeres‘ penalty, which marked his fifth league goal of the season. The Swede’s 100% record from the spot as an Arsenal player remains intact, with his penalty being the difference between the two sides. Gyokeres explained the decision that led to him taking on the task against Jordan Pickford, stating that the Gunners shared penalty duties in recent seasons.
“We spoke a little bit on the pitch, it was an easy talk, and then I took it,” Gyokeres said after full-time. “To be fair, a few months ago I took one, and it was nice to take one again and to score. We don’t think about it too much, we just wait for the decision. Then you know it’s a penalty and you just wait for the normal procedure. Nothing special, really.”

Saka’s ‘Tough’ Admission

Bukayo Saka praised Everton’s strategy, stating that they made it “really tough” for the Gunners. He also acknowledged that Arsenal had to work hard to take maximum points in Merseyside, citing the defensive toughness of the Toffees.
“Everton made it really tough,” Saka said. “It was also on us for not killing off the game in certain moments. They have a good structure with a good intensity. Their players are so passionate, which made it so hard. There weren’t really any emotions in it, we take them out. We focus on our job. Since last week we focused on winning here and we did that today. We are back on top of the table but we aren’t watching City too hard. We know if we win every week we will stay there. We are in control.”

Source: Link