Kai Havertz is poised to play his first match since the season’s opening week on Sunday. Arsenal’s manager Mikel Arteta announced that Havertz’s return follows a challenging year marked by injuries. After initially returning from a hamstring injury at the start of the season, he faced a knee injury at Old Trafford that cut his play short to just 816 minutes last year.
Havertz had aimed for a comeback by the year’s end but experienced another setback right before he was due back in training. Having resumed training on December 23, Arteta has been cautious, including Havertz as an unused substitute during a win against Aston Villa.
Arteta mentioned, “I think he’s going to be in the squad again in the next few days. He trains well and is coping with increasing loads. We hope to have him back.”
Havertz’s return is timely for Arsenal, especially considering the struggling form of teammates Viktor Gyokeres and Gabriel Jesus. “We need to manage expectations around Havertz, but excellence is expected when players wear our shirt, and he understands that,” said Arteta.
In terms of squad news, Riccardo Calafiori’s injury means he won’t be available for the match, and Piero Hincapie is also a doubt due to a suspected hamstring injury. Myles Lewis-Skelly is likely to start in Calafiori’s absence.
Viewing Information: Portsmouth vs. Arsenal
- Date: Sunday, Jan. 11
- Time: 9 a.m. ET
- Location: Fratton Park – Portsmouth, United Kingdom
- TV: ESPN 2
- Odds: Portsmouth +1000; Draw +500; Arsenal -450
