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The Gunners' boss feels assured that his squad can keep managing with fitness issues after revealing that attacker Kai Havertz remains out for the coming weeks.

Extended Absence for Havertz

Havertz has been out since August after undergoing knee surgery. Initially expected to come back earlier in December, the manager stated the player hit a snag when stepping up his rehabilitation and could not progress “to the next level.”

“We took lessons, and managed to assemble a squad that is much more reliable and has greater depth,” Arteta said.

Tactical Decisions for Midweek Fixture

This news leaves a tactical puzzle for the midweek home game against Brentford. A decision is required between sticking with Mikel Merino, who got a goal in an unfamiliar forward role on Sunday, or reinstating Viktor Gyökeres, who featured briefly after a fitness issue in the latter stages. Veteran striker Gabriel Jesus is also an option post-recovery.

Defensive Concerns Remain

Additional concerns surround centre-back William Saliba and attacker Leandro Trossard, who sat out the weekend encounter. Therefore, summer signings Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapié are expected to continue in central defence for the table-toppers.

Arteta feels the £250m spend on reinforcements during the summer has resulted in a more robust situation to handle such setbacks.

Greater Options Key to Title Challenge

In response if a larger pool of players was helping their championship push, his response was positive. “Absolutely, as this campaign has seen more issues in certain positions, and now the situation with the backline,” he continued.

“Our previous experiences taught us that we need to utilize players in various roles, and they have to be able to fulfil different roles if we want to compete at this level. And the example of Mikel is just the best one.”

Manager’s Sympathy for Frustrated Star

Speaking about the delay highlighted by Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann, the manager gave further detail. “He followed all protocols. He failed to advance to the required step and now the signs are like we have overcome that hurdle.”

He shared his eagerness to welcome him back. “Everyone is eager to have him. I mean, it’s a player that, for me, I love so much for his contributions to the team, but his character, his attitude. I observe his frustration on the sidelines.”

“His availability record is outstanding, he's rarely been injured, and I am eagerly awaiting to get him back with the squad and playing because I think it’s going to be a massive boost.”