Viktor Gyokeres and Ruben Amorim Gear Up for Showdown

At a prestigious awards ceremony in Porto a year ago, Viktor Gyokeres was asked about the secret to his success. Gyokeres, who had an outstanding season with Sporting Lisbon, credited his achievements to his coach, Ruben Amorim. Gyokeres won the Player of the Year award after scoring 29 goals and providing nine assists.

This Sunday marks the first time Gyokeres and Amorim will face each other as opponents. Amorim, who helped Gyokeres excel at Sporting Lisbon, is now coaching Arsenal. Despite Manchester United's need for a striker, they did not pursue Gyokeres, believing he preferred to join Arsenal. Eventually, United signed Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig for £74 million.

Amorim, now at Manchester United, briefly commented on Gyokeres, acknowledging his talent and success. The match between Arsenal and Manchester United is anticipated to be intriguing, with Amorim knowing Gyokeres well and Gyokeres understanding Amorim's tactics.

Amorim's focus on building a strong bond with Gyokeres off the pitch and helping him believe in his abilities was crucial in their successful partnership at Sporting Lisbon. Gyokeres, appreciative of Amorim's influence, highlighted their back-to-back championship wins and the coach's role in their success.

Mikel Arteta, Arsenal's manager, emphasized the importance of Gyokeres' time at Brighton in 2021, overlooking his successful spell at Sporting Lisbon. Gyokeres and Amorim are now set to create new chapters in their careers as rivals after their fruitful collaboration in Portugal.