'Hopefully he will recover' - Mikel Arteta issues Kai Havertz fitness update after Germany international missed comeback win over Brentford

Havertz, along with several teammates, was struck by a sickness bug ahead of the Gunners’ New Year’s Day fixture at the Gtech Community Stadium. The 24-year-old midfielder was excluded from the squad entirely for the game, which Arsenal won 3-1, propelling them to second in the Premier League standings.

Arteta elaborated on the situation during his post-match interview, explaining the visible symptoms that made it clear Havertz could not participate.

"With Kai it was obvious [that he could not play against Brentford]. He wasn’t feeling well at all and he had very clear symptoms. So stay away from it, put him in a car, and go back to London," he told reporters.

"These things happen. In this period, there are always things - throat, infections, viruses. So I try to delay the lineup as well, as far as possible, because you can get up in the morning and you can have a surprise unfortunately.”

However, Arteta expressed optimism about his recovery before the fixture against Brighton and said: "I think so, yeah. Hopefully he will recover very quickly."

The Gunners demonstrated resilience against Brentford as they overcame an early deficit to secure an important win. Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo opened the scoring within the first 15 minutes, putting pressure on Arteta’s men. However, Arsenal responded before halftime with a crucial equaliser from Gabriel Jesus. The momentum carried into the second half as Mikel Merino and Gabriel Martinelli both found the net, ensuring Arsenal claimed all three points.

The victory reduced the gap between the Gunners and league leaders Liverpool to six points, keeping them firmly in the title race. With a busy schedule ahead, Arsenal will now turn their attention to their upcoming match against Brighton on Saturday. And Arteta’s optimism about Havertz’s recovery offers hope that the midfielder will rejoin the squad in time for the important fixture.