Arsenal emerged victorious in the North London derby under the tactical brilliance of manager Mikel Arteta. It didn’t matter if they missed their key players; those on the field gave their absolute best performance.
Bukayo Saka swung in a dangerous-looking cross, and Gabriel Maghalaes planted an unstoppable header past keeper Vicario. The defenders were fearless, the midfielders kept battling in the middle, and the attackers pounced on every loose ball.
There was another star player who did not receive the same amount of credit for his discipline throughout the 100 minutes. Kai Havertz was right there at the top, pressing relentlessly, trying to create goal-scoring chances, and being at the end of nearly every cross.
Kai Havertz ran for almost 100mins and right after the final whistle Timber noticed him being out of his breath. Top top performance from both of them. pic.twitter.com/nZV4gSmSZl
— Sir Jenkinson (@theEpicGooner) September 16, 2024
After the match, the 25-year-old fell to the ground, gasping for breath, and defender Timber immediately gave him a place to lean on. But we have never seen the German showing signs of fatigue, and this is probably the only time we have seen him being out of breath.
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It shows that he gave his heart out even if the movements were limited. Martin Odegaard’s absence increased the work load on him, but he made sure he played like a beast in midfield. His tireless display exceeded expectations, and the fans were grateful for his contribution in this tough contest.
Havertz covered every blade of grass, running from one penalty area to another. He was initially operating on the right-wing spot but later moved to the left flank and in the middle as well.
The Arsenal star won 12/21 challenges plus eight aerial duels—he is their only player to achieve these numbers thrice since 2016-17. Havertz registered eight winning duels vs. the same opponent last season. The attacker just loves playing against Tottenh*m Hotsp*r.
Since the start of the 2016/17 season, there have only been three occasions when an Arsenal midfielder or forward has won 8+ aerial duels in a Premier League game:
◉ 8 – Havertz vs. Burnley (2023/24)
◉ 8 – Havertz vs. Tottenham (2023/24)
◉ 8 – Havertz vs. Tottenham (2024/25)… pic.twitter.com/pmN4AgEYyg— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) September 15, 2024
He managed his game-play according to the intensity of the game. Never showed any signs of slowing down, even at the final stages. The Gunners wouldn’t have made it through without Havertz’s sacrifices.
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He is one of the most important players in the team, without any doubt. Arteta has transformed him into an unstoppable force. We believe that he has the ability to bury Manchester City when we face them on Sunday.
Surely, they will recall the horrors of his UCL-winning goal for Chelsea in the 2020/21 season.
