Mikel Arteta Arsenal
Arsenal’s Kai Havertz is set to undergo knee surgery, but the German international is not anticipated to be sidelined for an extended period. This development comes after Gunners manager Mikel Arteta initially struggled to provide a definitive update on Havertz’s condition. The surgery is expected to allow Havertz to return to action by early November, though he will miss several key fixtures in the interim.
Mikel Arteta said: “He’s certainly not fit for this match [vs Leeds], unfortunately. We don’t really know yet the extent of it. I think we need a bit more time and some more tests and – after that – we will have more clarity about the next steps. Now, he’s got a setback, let’s see how bad it is.”
Havertz’s absence will see him miss Premier League home games against Nottingham Forest, Manchester City, West Ham United, and Crystal Palace, as well as away trips to Liverpool, Newcastle United, Fulham, and Burnley. Additionally, the 26-year-old will be unavailable for several Champions League matches and potentially two Carabao Cup ties. Despite this setback, there is optimism that Havertz will make a swift recovery and return to the pitch by early November.
In addition to Havertz, Arsenal is also dealing with injuries to key players Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka, who both suffered issues during the match against Leeds United. Fortunately, neither injury is as severe as initially feared. Odegaard may even feature at Anfield on Sunday, while Saka is expected to be sidelined for up to four weeks due to a muscular problem.
Arteta commented on Saka’s condition: “Bukayo, while he was running with the ball, carrying the ball, wrestling with the defender, he felt something in his hamstring. So let’s see. I think it’s the other one. It’s not the same one as the previous injury. He felt something while he was sprinting. That’s never a good sign. Speak to the doctors as well and understand better what he does. But he’s had these injuries before. He knows exactly the feeling of that. So let’s wait.”
The timing of Saka’s injury coincides with the upcoming September international break, which may limit his absence to just three games. Arsenal will be hoping for the quick recovery of their key players as they navigate a challenging fixture list in the coming weeks.
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