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Arsenal's manager remains confident that his team can keep managing with injury setbacks following revealing that attacker Kai Havertz remains out for several more weeks.

Extended Absence for Havertz

The German forward has been absent since the summer following knee surgery. Originally slated to come back earlier in December, Arteta revealed the player encountered a problem when advancing his recovery and could not progress “to the next level.”

“We learned, and we were able to put together a team that is considerably steadier and has more options,” Arteta said.

Selection Dilemma for Brentford Clash

This news leaves a selection headache for the midweek fixture at the Emirates against Brentford. The manager needs to decide between persisting with Mikel Merino, who scored in an unfamiliar forward role on Sunday, or bringing back Viktor Gyökeres, who came back after a fitness issue off the bench. Veteran striker Gabriel Jesus remains an option post-recovery.

Defensive Concerns Linger

Additional concerns surround centre-back William Saliba and attacker Leandro Trossard, who sat out the Stamford Bridge game. Consequently, recent arrivals Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapié will probably start again in the heart of the defence for the league leaders.

The manager is convinced the £250m spend on new players ahead of this season has placed the club in a much stronger position to navigate such unavailability.

Squad Depth Key to Premier League Pursuit

When asked if a larger pool of players was benefiting their title quest, the manager agreed. “Yes, since the current term has been worse in certain positions, and now what’s happening with the backline,” he noted.

“We learned from the past that we have to use players in different positions, and they must be capable to adapt to new tasks if we want to compete at the top. And the case of Mikel is just the best one.”

Arteta's Support for Suffering Havertz

Speaking about the complication previously mentioned by Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann, Arteta provided additional context. “He followed all protocols. He could not go to the subsequent stage and now it appears like we have solved that issue.”

He shared his eagerness to see him return. “The team is keen to have him. Honestly, Havertz is someone that, in my view, I love so much for his contributions to the team, but his personality, his personality. I see him suffer on the sidelines.”

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