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Mikel Arteta remains confident that his team can keep managing with player absences after confirming that star striker Kai Havertz remains out for several more weeks.

Prolonged Recovery for Havertz

Havertz has been sidelined since August following an operation on his knee. Initially expected to return sooner, Arteta revealed the player hit a snag when stepping up his rehabilitation and could not progress “to the next level.”

“Our experience helped us build a group that is far more dependable and has greater depth,” stated the manager.

Selection Dilemma for Midweek Fixture

This update presents a selection headache for Wednesday’s match against Brentford. Arteta must choose between continuing to use Mikel Merino, who got a goal playing out of position against Chelsea, or recalling Viktor Gyökeres, who made a return after a fitness issue in the latter stages. Long-term absentee Gabriel Jesus is available post-recovery.

Fitness Doubts Persist

Further fitness issues surround centre-back William Saliba and attacker Leandro Trossard, who sat out the Stamford Bridge game. As a result, recent arrivals Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapié are expected to continue in central defence for the league leaders.

The manager is convinced the significant outlay on reinforcements during the summer has placed the club in a much stronger position to navigate such setbacks.

Squad Depth Vital for Premier League Pursuit

In response if a larger pool of players was benefiting their title quest, the manager agreed. “Absolutely, because this season has been worse in certain positions, and now the situation with the backline,” he continued.

“Our previous experiences taught us that we need to utilize players in different positions, and they have to be able to fulfil different roles if we want to compete at this level. And the case of Mikel Merino.”

Manager’s Sympathy for Suffering Havertz

Speaking about the complication previously mentioned by Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann, Arteta provided additional context. “He followed all protocols. He was unable to progress to the required step and now it’s looking like we have solved that issue.”

The manager conveyed his keenness to welcome him back. “We’re all desperate to have him. Truly, Havertz is someone that, for me, I love so much for his contributions to the team, but his character, his personality. I watch him struggle being outside.”

“His playing record is phenomenal, he's usually fit, and I look forward to see him return involved on the pitch because I believe it’s going to be a massive boost.”