Arsenal are heading to a Champions League final for the first time in two decades.

After grinding out a brilliantly tense 1-0 victory over Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid, the Gunners secured a 2-1 aggregate win that will be talked about in North London for a long time.

Bukayo Saka was the ultimate hero, pouncing to score the decisive goal to book their ticket to the grand finale.

But while the star winger naturally grabbed the main headlines, Premier League legend Alan Shearer was busy singling out another “exceptional” Arsenal player who completely ran the show.

Mikel Arteta’s side managed to dismantle one of the most stubborn defensive units in world football and his striker Viktor Gyokeres played a crucial role.

Alan Shearer praised Arsenal attacker Gyokeres

Speaking after the final whistle, Shearer couldn’t contain his praise for the Swedish powerhouse, highlighting a specific tactical tweak Arteta has made that has unlocked a terrifying new level to his game.

‘Apart that miss his centre forward play has been superb,’ Shearer said on Prime Video, as reported by Metro.

‘His running off the ball, his hold up play for his team, taking knocks all night and making runs… he really has been exceptional.

‘It’s exactly the type of performance his team needed from him and something to build on. He offered Arsenal so much tonight.’

Sweden international star was impressive against Atletico

Rather than just playing as a traditional, static target man, Gyokeres has been given the tactical freedom to relentlessly terrorise the channels, and it worked to perfection against Atletico.

Shearer noted that the striker was completely unplayable, brilliantly holding up the ball under immense pressure and constantly dragging Atletico’s seasoned centre-backs out of position.

By having a striker who actively relishes the physical battle, it completely relieves the pressure on the creative midfielders like Eberechi Eze and Bukayo Saka, allowing them to exploit the pockets of space Gyokeres leaves behind.

Mikel Arteta: “Gyökeres tonight was immense, his work rate, the way he held the ball… fantastic”. pic.twitter.com/NT2Ynwy7YH

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 6, 2026

Arsenal have learned how to master the dark arts, and that makes them incredibly dangerous for whoever they face in Budapest.

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Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has given credit to the improved form of Viktor Gyokeres in recent games after a particularly strong display in last night’s Champions League semi-final.

The Sweden international scored twice in the win over Fulham at the weekend, and though he didn’t find the back of the net against Atletico Madrid, he worked tirelessly all night long and proved a real handful for Diego Simeone’s side.

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Henry admits he’s been critical of Gyokeres at times, but he now feels that the former Sporting Lisbon man is proving him and his other critics wrong by becoming more of a real number 9 that opponents fear.

Watch below for Henry’s analysis…

Thierry Henry gives the Arsenal team their flowers after they make their first #UCL final since he played for the club in 2006 ??? pic.twitter.com/dlZpHPO1tm

— CBS Sports Golazo ?? (@CBSSportsGolazo) May 5, 2026

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Thierry Henry on Viktor Gyokeres

Discussing Gyokeres, Henry said: “You know, I’m old school, show me what you can do and I’ll say it.

“If you’re not playing well I’ll say you’re not playing well. For a very long time, for example, if I take the example of Gyokeres, the jury was out on him.

“It’s not a bad thing – embrace it, try to prove people wrong. Tonight he did, not only tonight but in the last month.

“I will give him his credit. He’s running, he looks solid, he looks a bit more like a number 9 you can be scared of.”

The Frenchman also praised Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and the players for seeming to adapt better to Gyokeres by looking for him early and doing more to get the best out of his strengths.

Viktor Gyokeres’ first Arsenal season in numbers

Gyokeres hasn’t always looked that convincing in a red and white shirt, having been an absolute goal machine at former club Sporting.

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Still, the 27-year-old has managed an impressive 21 goals in 51 games in all competitions, which isn’t bad considering it’s his first season with a new club in a new league.

Gyokeres has also managed five goals in the Champions League to help the Gunners reach only their second ever final.

The post Thierry Henry names Arsenal star who’s proven critics wrong and is now feared by opponents appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Arsenal successfully navigated the ultimate test of their mental fortitude, grinding out a tense, hard-fought 1-0 victory over Atletico Madrid to officially punch their ticket to the Champions League final.

Following last week’s incredibly grueling 1-1 draw in the Spanish capital, the stakes were extremely high.

But as the full-time whistle blew and the red half of North London erupted into pure euphoria, manager Mikel Arteta knew exactly who deserved a massive chunk of the credit, his blockbuster Swedish striker, Viktor Gyökeres.

Arteta praises Gyokeres for his work rate

Shortly after the wild celebrations moved from the pitch into the dressing room, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano took to X to share Arteta’s glowing post-match comments.

The Spanish manager was absolutely buzzing, highlighting how his star forward has completely transformed the team’s ceiling.

While Arsenal have played beautiful, possession-heavy football for the last few years, Arteta noted that Gyökeres has finally given them an undeniably ruthless edge.

Arteta said: “Gyökeres tonight was immense, his work rate, the way he held the ball… fantastic”.

In just one season, Viktor Gyokeres has:

—Lead his Sweden to their first world cup in over a decade
—Lead Arsenal to a potential Premier League title
—Lead Arsenal to their first UCL final in 20 years
—Scored 20 goals and contributed 25 g/a in all competitions

What a season… pic.twitter.com/Oq0FbBZf73

— The Football Era (@FootballEra_) May 5, 2026

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Gyokeres is showing his worth at a crucial time

Coming off the back of a brilliant brace against Fulham over the weekend, Gyökeres once again proved that he is the ultimate big-game player.

To fully appreciate the massive impact of the Arsenal number nine, you just have to look at exactly how this semi-final tie played out.

Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid are the undisputed kings of the European dark arts. They are experts at frustrating teams, sitting deep, and bullying technically gifted players.

In seasons past, a younger, more naive Arsenal side might have completely crumbled under that immense physical pressure. But this time around, Gyökeres acted as the ultimate battering ram.

He happily occupied both central defenders all night, taking the heavy hits and continuously stretching the defensive line.

His goal in the first leg and his work rate in the second leg proved crucial for Arsenal in both the semifinals.

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Viktor Gyokeres’ overall play as Arsenal’s focal point, both on and off the ball, has seen a marked improvement in recent weeks, and Premier League legend Alan Shearer believes the transformation is down to a specific tactical tweak by Mikel Arteta’s side.

The Swedish powerhouse has not been able to repeat the his outrageous goalscoring numbers from last season and often struggled with the physicality as well, but he has improved as the season went.

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Alan Shearer on how Arsenal have improved Viktor Gyokeres

According to Shearer, the secret behind this surge in form lies in the service provided by the Arsenal midfield.

Speaking as a pundit on Amazon Prime during Arsenal’s vital victory in the Champions League semi-final, Shearer noted that the Gunners have finally learned how to maximize their striker’s unique skillset.

Shearer elaborated that early service prevents opposition defenders from doubling up on the Swede, allowing him to use his explosive pace and strength in one-on-one situations.

By eliminating the extra touches in the buildup, Arsenal have turned Gyokeres from a target man into a devastating transitional weapon.

He said (via BBC Sport): “One of the things I think Arsenal have improved on is Gyokeres. They need to play the ball quick and early to him, and it’s something they’ve done more of in the last few weeks.”

Gyokeres has been praised by Wayne Rooney

It isn’t just Shearer who has been impressed by the forward’s development. Former Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney also recently praised him for becoming the focal point that Arsenal missed.

Following his best ever performance in an Arsenal shirt against Fulham, Rooney said the following about Gyokeres:

“I’ve liked Gyokeres all season. I think he does so well for the team. He occupies defenders and I think his goal tally has been good this season. This is when you need him now, during the run-in. This is what you need when you bring a no. 9 into the club. This is when you need them most.”

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