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Mikel Arteta remains confident that his side can persist in handling with fitness issues after revealing that attacker Kai Havertz remains out for several more weeks.

Prolonged Recovery for German Star

The German forward has been sidelined for months following knee surgery. Hoped to return sooner, Arteta revealed the player hit a snag when advancing his recovery and failed to reach “to the next level.”

“Our experience helped us build a squad that is considerably steadier and has increased versatility,” stated the manager.

Selection Dilemma for Midweek Fixture

This news presents a dilemma for the midweek fixture at the Emirates against Brentford. The manager needs to decide between sticking with Mikel Merino, who found the net in an unfamiliar forward role against Chelsea, or reinstating Viktor Gyökeres, who featured briefly off the bench off the bench. Veteran striker Gabriel Jesus is an option post-recovery.

Fitness Doubts Linger

More doubts surround centre-back William Saliba and attacker Leandro Trossard, who were absent for the Chelsea match. As a result, recent arrivals Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapié are expected to start again in central defence for the Premier League front-runners.

The manager is convinced the significant outlay on new players in the last transfer window has left Arsenal in a far better place to navigate such unavailability.

Squad Depth Vital for Title Challenge

When asked if increased squad depth was benefiting their title quest, the manager agreed. “Indeed, as this campaign has seen more issues in certain positions, and now what’s happening with the defence,” he continued.

“Our previous experiences taught us that we have to use players in various roles, and they have to be able to fulfil different roles if we are to fight at the top. And the case of Mikel is probably the prime illustration.”

Arteta's Support for Suffering Havertz

Addressing the setback previously mentioned by Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann, Arteta offered more insight. “He was doing everything. He failed to advance to the next level and now the signs are like we have solved that issue.”

He shared his eagerness to see him return. “The team is keen to have him. Truly, it’s a player that, for me, I admire greatly for what he brings to the team, but his mentality, his personality. I observe his frustration being outside.”

“His availability record is exceptional, he's rarely been injured, and I look forward to have him back around the team playing because I feel it’s going to be a massive boost.”