Viktor Gyökeres: Arsenal's Hunger for Community Shield Victory
Viktor Gyökeres has no time for the old clichés about the Community Shield.
For the Arsenal striker, Sunday against Manchester City is not a curtain-raiser, not a “glorified friendly”, not a gentle jog into the new campaign. It is a chance to plant a flag.
“Against City? As a friendly? I don’t know what other people think but we want to win that game of course, for sure,” he snaps, brushing aside the idea that this is anything other than a trophy worth chasing.
He knows what early silverware can do to a dressing room.
“When you win titles, you get confidence, you get a boost with everything that comes with it. So, yeah, it's only positive things with that. We want to make sure that we're not only on top of that but that we're ready for the new season.”
This year’s edition already feels different. The FA has confirmed the 2026 Community Shield will be staged at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, with Wembley given over to concert bookings. A change of stage, but the same heavyweight cast.
Gyökeres focused, Arsenal armed
Arsenal arrive with something they did not have last season: Bruno Guimarães in the heart of midfield, signed from Newcastle in a £75m deal that underlines the club’s intent.
“Yeah, we're all very happy,” Gyökeres says of the Brazilian’s arrival. “He's an extremely good player and I think he will bring a lot of energy and his qualities to the team. I only have positive things to say.”
Energy. Qualities. A statement signing dropped into a side already carrying the burden of champions and the expectation to go again.
Up front, the picture looks sharp. Gyökeres has settled quickly, scoring from the spot in the 3-2 defeat to Borussia Dortmund in pre-season. The issues lie behind him.
Arsenal have conceded three goals in each of their last two friendlies. That is not the platform Mikel Arteta wants before a Premier League opener against Gyökeres’ former club, Coventry City.
“[Borussia] Dortmund played man-to-man, when they attacked, they rotated a lot and made runs in behind,” the Swede explains, dissecting the problems exposed in that loss to the Bundesliga side. “It was a good test for us and we learned what we have to do much better defensively. The third goal came from a corner, the other two goals at the beginning were of course frustrating as well.”
The warning signs are clear. So is the response.
“More hunger”
Inside the camp, there is no sense of a team satisfied with last season’s title. If anything, Gyökeres insists, the edge has sharpened.
Asked if he still sees the same burning desire in Mikel Arteta’s eyes as they prepare to defend their crown, the 28-year-old barely pauses.
“More hunger!”
Two words, but they say everything about the standards now expected at London Colney. Arsenal are no longer the hunters. They are the target.
Retaining the Premier League is a task that has broken many champions. Gyökeres is not pretending otherwise. He understands the weight of the badge, the scrutiny that comes when you start a season as the team to beat.
“You can think about it [starting the season as champions] in a million different ways,” he reflects. “If it is harder or not I don’t know but it will be difficult to win the league, even if you won it last season it is still a big challenge.
“It is the best league in the world and a lot of teams are in very good shape with very good players. We won last season and we will try to win it this season as well.”
No grand declarations. No guarantees. Just a clear message before Manchester City loom into view at Wembley on Sunday: Arsenal are treating this like a trophy, not a rehearsal.
The champions intend to start as they mean to go on.
