UCL: He proved everyone wrong — Henry names Arsenal's best player against Atletico

Arsenal legend Thierry Henry singled out Viktor Gyokeres as the player who silenced his critics during the Gunners' hard-fought 1-0 Champions League semi-final victory over Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night.

A disciplined defensive display and a crucial home win at the Emirates saw Arsenal secure their spot in the final.

Speaking on CBS Sports after the match, Henry was quick to praise the Swedish striker for leading the line with immense maturity against the La Liga giants.

“If I take the example of Gyokeres, the jury was out on him,” Henry said.

“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’ll also give him his credit.

"He is running, he looks solid and a bit more like a number nine that you can be scared of.”

Gyokeres arrived in North London from Sporting CP last summer under a mountain of expectation.

The 27-year-old initially struggled to adapt to the relentless physical demands of English football, drawing plenty of early-season criticism.

However, those early doubts have been firmly erased. Gyokeres has racked up 21 goals in all competitions, including a decisive brace against Fulham last weekend, showing he has finally found his footing at the Emirates.