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The Gunners' boss feels assured that his squad can persist in handling with injury setbacks after revealing that star striker Kai Havertz is not ready for a few more weeks.

Prolonged Recovery for Havertz

Havertz has been absent since August after undergoing an operation on his knee. Hoped to return sooner, Arteta explained the player hit a snag when stepping up his rehabilitation and failed to reach “the next phase.”

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

Selection Dilemma for Brentford Clash

This update presents a dilemma for the midweek home game against Brentford. Arteta must choose between persisting with Mikel Merino, who scored playing out of position on Sunday, or recalling Viktor Gyökeres, who made a return from a muscle injury as a substitute. Long-term absentee Gabriel Jesus is also in contention following a lengthy absence.

Fitness Doubts Remain

Further fitness issues affect defender William Saliba and attacker Leandro Trossard, who both missed the weekend encounter. As a result, new recruits Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapié are likely to continue in the heart of the defence for the table-toppers.

Arteta believes the substantial investment on reinforcements during the summer has resulted in a much stronger position to handle such unavailability.

Greater Options Key to Premier League Pursuit

When asked if increased squad depth was aiding their championship push, Arteta was emphatic. “Yes, as this campaign has seen more issues in the attacking line, and now the problems with the backline,” he continued.

“Our previous experiences taught us that we must deploy players in different positions, and they have to be able to adapt to new tasks if we want to compete at this level. And the example of Mikel is just the best one.”

Arteta's Support for Suffering Havertz

Commenting on the setback noted by national team coach Julian Nagelsmann, the manager gave additional context. “His recovery was progressing. He failed to advance to the next level and now it’s looking like we have unlocked that.”

Arteta expressed his eagerness to welcome him back. “The team is keen to have him. I mean, Havertz is someone that, personally, I love so much for his contributions to the team, but his character, his nature. I see him suffer on the sidelines.”

“His availability record is phenomenal, he's usually fit, and I can’t wait to get him back with the squad and playing because I think it’s going to be a significant uplift.”