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Mikel Arteta remains confident that his squad can continue to cope with injury setbacks following confirming that forward Kai Havertz remains out for the coming weeks.

Prolonged Recovery for Havertz

The German forward has been sidelined since August following knee surgery. Hoped to be available at the start of this month, Arteta revealed the player hit a snag when advancing his rehabilitation and could not progress “to the next level.”

“Our experience helped us build a group that is much more reliable and has more options,” stated the manager.

Tactical Decisions for Midweek Fixture

This news leaves a tactical puzzle for the midweek match against Brentford. A decision is required between sticking with Mikel Merino, who got a goal playing out of position last weekend, or reinstating Viktor Gyökeres, who made a return off the bench off the bench. Long-term absentee Gabriel Jesus is also available following a lengthy absence.

Defensive Concerns Persist

Additional concerns involve centre-back William Saliba and winger Leandro Trossard, who both missed the Chelsea match. As a result, summer signings Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapié are expected to start again in central defence for the table-toppers.

Arteta believes the £250m spend on reinforcements during the summer has left Arsenal in a far better place to deal with such absences.

Squad Depth Vital for Title Challenge

Questioned if a larger pool of players was benefiting their championship push, his response was positive. “Absolutely, because this season has presented greater challenges in some areas, and now the situation with the defence,” he continued.

“Our previous experiences taught us that we must deploy players in various roles, and they have to be able to perform various functions if we want to compete at the top. And the case of Mikel is just the best one.”

Arteta's Support for Frustrated Havertz

Commenting on the setback previously mentioned by national team coach Julian Nagelsmann, the manager gave more insight. “He was doing everything. He was unable to progress to the next level and now the signs are like we have solved that issue.”

Arteta expressed his personal desire to see him return. “The team is keen to have him. Truly, 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 while sidelined.”

“His fitness history is outstanding, he's rarely been injured, and I look forward to have him back around the team and playing because I feel it’s going to be a huge lift.”