HOME > Football

Arsenal s forward faces problems: Havertz is injured and Jesus is in a state of uncertainty. Will Arteta rely on Merino again?

11:54pm, 22 August 2025【Football】

Arsenal once again faces serious problems on the offensive line. Kay Havertz suffered a knee injury while new striker Victor Gejo Kerres is still adjusting to the intensity of the Premier League. Premier League. In this case, Mikel Arteta must quickly find solutions to ensure his team remains competitive.

Arteta has actually prepared a plan to combine Havertz and Gikelez in the frontcourt. Another option is Gikelez as the primary option and Havertz as his contender.

However, the plan had to be postponed because Havertz was reentered into the treatment room. Given that Arsenal needs to maintain the acuity and rhythm and consistency of the game early in the season, the current situation is quite critical.

Havertz was injured, and Gichairo became the new main force. Kavertz is undergoing medical examinations after experiencing a knee injury. The German striker didn't even attend a part of Arsenal's open training session at Emirates Stadium last Wednesday.

Havertz actually just recovered from a long hamstring injury, which left him missing from February to May. The club is still waiting for further progress to understand his exact situation.

However, the main debate within Arsenal a few days ago was who should start against Liverpool. But with Havertz's injury, the choice became automatically on Gichail, who now made his debut in a major game against Arsenal, has received a lot of attention.

Michol Merino is once again the alternative

Injury issues plagued Arsenal again, just like last season. Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka were all out for a long time, and now only Saka has truly recovered from the beginning of the season.

If this injury persists, Arteta may use the emergency plan again: arrange Mikel Merino as the striker. Although this is not his main position, the Spanish midfielder briefly helped Arsenal stay competitive during the player crisis last season.

However, for Arteta, this is obviously not an ideal plan. This weekend's game against Leeds United will be an important stage for Goyerez to show his abilities. Arsenal needs to score goals, and the coach hopes that his new player can give a quick answer at a critical moment.