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Arsenal's manager remains confident that his side can persist in handling with player absences following revealing that forward Kai Havertz will not return for the coming weeks.

Extended Absence for German Star

Havertz has been out since August following knee surgery. Initially expected to be available at the start of this month, Arteta revealed the player hit a snag when advancing his rehabilitation and could not progress “the next phase.”

“Our experience helped us build a squad that is much more reliable and has increased versatility,” commented Arteta.

Selection Dilemma for Midweek Fixture

This update creates a selection headache for Wednesday’s home game against Brentford. A decision is required between sticking with Mikel Merino, who scored as a makeshift striker on Sunday, or bringing back Viktor Gyökeres, who came back from a muscle injury as a substitute. Veteran striker Gabriel Jesus remains in contention post-recovery.

Fitness Doubts Persist

Additional concerns involve defender William Saliba and winger Leandro Trossard, who sat out the Stamford Bridge game. As a result, summer signings Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapié are expected to start again in the backline for the league leaders.

The manager is convinced the significant outlay on squad depth in the last transfer window has left Arsenal in a far better place to deal with such absences.

Greater Options Vital for Premier League Pursuit

When asked if more options was helping their championship push, Arteta was emphatic. “Yes, because this season has been worse in some areas, and now the situation with the backline,” he noted.

“History has shown us that we need to utilize players in different positions, and they must be capable to adapt to new tasks if we aim to challenge at this level. And the case of Mikel Merino.”

Manager’s Sympathy for Frustrated Star

Addressing the complication noted by national team coach Julian Nagelsmann, the manager gave further detail. “He was doing everything. He failed to advance to the subsequent stage and now it appears like we have unlocked that.”

Arteta expressed his keenness to see him return. “Everyone is eager to have him. Truly, he is a footballer who, personally, I love so much for his contributions to the team, but his personality, his attitude. I watch him struggle while sidelined.”

“His playing record is outstanding, he's usually fit, and I can’t wait to see him return involved and playing because I think it’s going to be a significant uplift.”