Injury Concerns for Arsenal After November Break

Arsenal’s November international break has been further complicated by news that Kai Havertz experienced a minor setback in his recovery from injury.

Havertz, a German international, has been sidelined since his brief appearance at the season’s start due to a knee injury sustained in just 30 minutes of play against Manchester United.

Manager’s Cautious Approach

Mikel Arteta, Arsenal’s manager, is known for being protective of his players, often providing misleading updates regarding their fitness. His tactics have left opponents guessing about the availability of key squad members.

In light of Havertz’s recent struggles, Germany’s national team manager Julian Nagelsmann spoke candidly, stating, “Kai has had a small relapse,” after confirming World Cup qualification on Tuesday. He added, “But he is doing well. If everything goes as planned, he might return towards the end of the year.”

Recently, Arteta emphasized that the club would take a measured approach regarding Havertz’s return to training. He indicated the need to monitor how the player handles the training intensity, particularly during the initial weeks after his comeback.

This latest news about Havertz is just one of many injury concerns for Arsenal this month.

Arsenal’s Injury List for November

Arsenal has been hit hard by injuries, reminiscent of the “FIFA Virus” that often plagues teams during international breaks, especially in Spain, and this month has seen a significant toll on the squad.

Key Absentees:

• Gabriel: The main concern, suffering a thigh injury that could sideline him for up to 15 games, likely missing action until January.
• Riccardo Calafiori: Another defender who had to withdraw from international involvement but is expected to participate in this weekend’s north London derby.

Potential Injuries:

• Jurriën Timber: Experienced a significant knock during the Netherlands’ match against Lithuania but continued to play until the 64th minute. His status for the upcoming match remains uncertain.

The injury struggles have not been limited to these players. Alongside Havertz, long-term absentees include Gabriel Jesus, and Noni Madueke, Viktor Gyökeres, and Gabriel Martinelli all remained at home during the international break.

Martin Ødegaard, meanwhile, joined Norway’s squad in a non-playing role to assist in his recovery from a knee injury. Norway’s coach Ståle Solbakken remarked that Ødegaard is still “some distance away” from making his comeback.

Arteta hinted that this weekend might see the returns of Madueke, Gyökeres, and Martinelli, but cautioned that numerous factors need to align perfectly over the next two weeks for this to happen. Unfortunately, Arsenal’s injury situation continues to be a challenging aspect of their season.