Arsenal’s Concerns Over Havertz’s Fitness and Injury Management

According to the Daily Mail,

Arsenal is expressing concern regarding the future fitness of Kai Havertz, whose knee issue has re-emerged following a prolonged period on the sidelines. The talented midfielder has not started a match for the Gunners since August 17, although he made his return as a second-half substitute during the FA Cup third round victory over Portsmouth. He also logged eight minutes in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final against Chelsea. Despite his eagerness to return, Havertz sustained ligament damage in a match against Manchester United, resulting in a flare-up of his knee problem. Manager Mikel Arteta is now tasked with carefully managing his playing time.

Havertz was notably not brought on as a substitute in the recent Champions League match against AC Milan, which surprised some supporters. However, he has yet to regain full fitness, causing the club to fear that his recovery may take a considerable amount of time. As a result, his match time will need to be monitored consistently for the remainder of the season, and potentially beyond. It is anticipated that Havertz will gradually see more playing time in the upcoming weeks.

Arteta has previously praised Havertz’s talent, stating to reporters: “If everything goes well, I think he’s going to be in the squad again in the next few days.”

He added, “He trains well, he’s increased his load, he’s coping with that really well, and he will be ready when we can have him.”

On the expectations surrounding Havertz, Arteta remarked, “Yes, but I understand this is the level as well. When a player has the chance to wear our shirt and compete for us, the demands are excellence – and that’s it. Kai is aware of that.”

Arsenal currently lists just three players as injured: Max Dowman, Riccardo Calafiori, and Piero Hincapie. However, the club has faced an unusual number of fitness issues within the first team this season. In December, when Arsenal recorded the highest number of injuries in the league, Arteta addressed questions regarding training methods, asserting, “No, because we don’t have time to train. Today [Tuesday] we’ve done 20 minutes, so surely it’s not because we over-trained the players.”

He continued, “But obviously when you are missing players, you are loading other players, and there is a consequence to that, which creates a dangerous cycle.”

Arteta emphasized the importance of differentiating between types of injuries, noting, “Some of them have been long-term and some acute. It’s something we are constantly monitoring.”

With Arsenal facing Manchester United this weekend in a crucial match, they aim to maintain their Premier League title challenge, sitting seven points ahead of second-placed Manchester City. The upcoming game represents a significant test for Arteta and his squad.