Mikel Arteta insists Arsenal can cope with Kai Havertz injury and provides update on Bukayo Saka return | OneFootball

Mikel Arteta has insisted that Arsenal can cope with the absence of Kai Havertz for the rest of the season even with the manager now without his first four forward options.

Havertz will miss the remainder of the campaign after suffering a hamstring issue while away in Dubai on a warm weather training camp with the rest of the squad.

Leandro Trossard, Raheem Sterling and Ethan Nwaneri appear likely to form the front three against Leicester on Saturday as Arteta’s side look to keep up their pursuit of Premier League leaders Liverpool.

The London club have had to deal with significant injury misfortune this season, with key figures like captain Martin Odegaard and centre-half William Saliba also missing periods of time.

And Arteta is confident that his squad can still keep performing well even as the injury issues mount.

“We were having a great camp in Dubai, recharging, training, having some time off and connecting again,” Arteta explained as his side prepare to return to action. “And then the injury happened in an unexpected way. It is a big blow, obviously, because of the injuries that we have.

“Fortunately, we have been through a lot this season. We have played without Gabriel Magalhaes, Saliba, [Ben] White all season, [Takehiro] Tomiyasu all season. [Riccardo] Calafiori missed two months, [MIkel] Merino two months, Saka three months, Gabriel Jesus. All of them! That’s the challenge I have. I love it and I’m looking forward. Let’s see what the team is made of.”

Arteta believes that all of Trossard, Sterling and Nwaneri have roles to play in covering for the absence of Havertz, with Mikel Merino also perhaps an option to be deployed further forward.

open image in gallery

Teenager Ethan Nwaneri looks set for a more prominent role (Getty Images)

The club did not sign a striker in January despite being linked with a number of targets, with Aston Villa knocking back a bid for Ollie Watkins.

“We always knew that we were an injury or two away,” Arteta said of how the failure to sign a striker impacted things. “But when you try everything you can, we have to deal with it.

“Any team in this league that loses four players in the frontline like those ones, I know what the answer is going to be. We have been through a lot and have maintained the level of performance and results to this point. We are more than capable of doing it. That is the only thing that we are going to worry about.

“It’s between all of us. We have mentioned that many times, probably being a little different in adapting to the qualities and strengths of our players.”

Reports have suggested that Saka had suffered a set back in the recovery from his own hamstring issue, but Arteta denied that was the case.

open image in gallery

Arsenal star Bukayo Saka remains sidelined (PA Wire)

The manager did caution, though, that the England international was at an early stage in his rehabilitation and is not expected to be available in the near future.

“We have a long-term injury, what is faster?” Arteta said after being asked if Saka could yet make a quicker return than expected. “In a 10-day injury, three days in a lot. In three months, a week is not a lot.

“It is too early. He is an early stage of the rehab. When we get a little bit closer and he starts to do more demanding stuff and more [training] load, we will see where he is. He is fine.”