Arsenal receive new Viktor Gyokeres verdict after Premier League Team of the Season mention

Viktor Gyokeres's first season at Arsenal has been a "definite success", thanks in large part to his displays in "big games", ex-Gunners striker Jeremie Aliadiere has exclusively told Sports Mole.

The Sweden international lifted the Premier League trophy with his teammates on Sunday after Arsenal's 2-1 win over Crystal Palace, in which Gyokeres only came off the bench for the final seven minutes.

However, the former Sporting Lisbon man closed out the top-flight campaign with a respectable 14 goals to his name, earning him an honourable mention for our Premier League Team of the Season.

Gyokeres is expected to regain his place in the starting lineup when Arsenal face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final on Saturday, amid suggestions that he could heavily influence the result.

Aliadiere - who scored nine goals in 50 games for Arsenal between 2001 and 2007 - had nothing but positive words to say about Gyokeres, in spite of the regular criticism the Scandinavian has been on the receiving end of this season.

Viktor Gyokeres's first Arsenal campaign "a definite success"

"I have been a massive supporter of his from day one and had his back throughout the season," Aliadiere said in an exclusive interview with Sports Mole.

"As a striker, coming into a new club and performing immediately isn’t always easy as you need to get to terms with your teammates and style of play, the league, the pace of the game and then take your chances.

"Gyokeres has scored plenty of goals. Been a huge part of why Arsenal won the title and into the Champions League final.

"You have to give him huge credit for his continued hard work and desire in each game and now he is really showing his worth with big performances in big games. So a definite success for me."

Across all competitions, Gyokeres has found the back of the net 21 times in 54 matches for Arsenal; in the Premier League era, only Thierry Henry in 1999-00 (26) and Alexis Sanchez in 2014-15 (25) have scored more in their debut campaign with the club.

How does Viktor Gyokeres perform in the big games for Arsenal?

Gyokeres's Premier League record against the traditional Big Six this season is nothing to write home about, as he scored twice against Tottenham Hotspur but not at all vs. Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool or Chelsea.

However, the 27-year-old did manage a goal and assist against the Blues in the EFL Cup semi-finals, and has made key contributions on big European nights for Arsenal.

Gyokeres struck twice against Atletico Madrid and once against Inter Milan in the Champions League league phase, before repeating the trick against the former from the penalty spot in the semi-final first leg.

The Swede could not make the net bulge in the return fixture, but he consistently occupied Diego Simeone's defenders with his physical power and effective hold-up play, to the delight of the Emirates crowd.

Jeremie Aliadiere was speaking to Sports Mole on behalf of BetGoodwin.