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The Gunners' boss remains confident that his side can continue to cope with injury setbacks following revealing that attacker Kai Havertz remains out for the coming weeks.

Prolonged Recovery for Havertz

The German forward has been absent for months following knee surgery. Originally slated to come back at the start of this month, Arteta explained the player encountered a problem when increasing his training and was unable to move forward “to the next level.”

“We learned, and we were able to put together a team that is considerably steadier and has greater depth,” commented Arteta.

Tactical Decisions for Midweek Fixture

This development creates a dilemma for the midweek home game against Brentford. A decision is required between persisting with Mikel Merino, who got a goal playing out of position on Sunday, or recalling Viktor Gyökeres, who came back from a muscle injury in the latter stages. Long-term absentee Gabriel Jesus is also an option following a lengthy absence.

Fitness Doubts Remain

Further fitness issues affect centre-back William Saliba and attacker Leandro Trossard, who were absent for the Chelsea match. Consequently, summer signings Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapié will probably keep their places in the backline for the table-toppers.

The manager is convinced the £250m spend on reinforcements in the last transfer window has placed the club in a much stronger position to handle such setbacks.

Greater Options Key to Premier League Pursuit

In response if a larger pool of players was benefiting their title quest, the manager agreed. “Yes, as this campaign has seen more issues in certain positions, and now the situation with the defence,” he added.

“Our previous experiences taught us that we need to utilize players in various roles, and they have to be able to perform various functions if we want to compete at the top. And the instance of Mikel Merino.”

Arteta's Support for Suffering Havertz

Commenting on the complication highlighted by Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann, the manager gave more insight. “He was doing everything. He could not go to the next level and now the signs are like we have unlocked that.”

The manager conveyed his eagerness to see him return. “The team is keen to have him. I mean, he is a footballer who, personally, I love so much for what he brings to the team, but his personality, his nature. I see him suffer being outside.”

“His availability record is exceptional, he’s been always available, and I look forward to have him back around the team playing because I feel it’s going to be a significant uplift.”