Arsenal learn timeline for Kai Havertz injury after striker withdraws from Germany duty

Mikel Arteta said recently: “You can tell [his confidence has grown], he takes the ball and he runs with the ball. He’s on high press, he goes full gas, the way he holds the ball, the position he takes in the box. He’s an attacking midfielder, he plays as a nine, you don’t know where he is, that’s his football brain. His focus now is ‘I’m going to win the game, I’m going to do it’ and that’s a different thing. When he’s practising, he wants more and he’s not satisfied with what he’s doing because there is still, I think, another level from him.

“Obviously, he’s surrounded by incredible players but something has changed in him and that confidence, you really sense it and now he’s putting it into games and he’s winning football matches which is great.”

Naturally, Arteta won’t want to lose Havertz at all, but rest during the international break will give him some time to recover from those knee issues. According to the Evening Standard, the Gunners are confident that the German will be fit for the Saturday, October 19 clash with AFC Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium. That will be comforting news for Arsenal fans, though they will be prioritising a return for the Liverpool clash on October 27, with a Champions League clash with Shakhtar Donetsk coming between those two Premier League fixtures.

Elsewhere, Thomas Partey has also withdrawn from international duty but is not expected to miss any time, given his absence is said to be through illness.

Havertz in scoring form

Arteta told Arsenal.com of Havertz’s recent scoring form, with the forward scoring four league goals so far: “He certainly has all the qualities and he certainly has the ambition to [score 20 goals a season].

“In the end, scoring goals sometimes are very small details and a lot of things have to go for you, but he’s got it and his mindset has changed a lot in regards to that. He certainly has ability to do it in my opinion.”

Havertz has told Sky Sports of his form recently: "I feel great, I feel very, very good. Arsenal for me is my home, I love to be here every day. I think that it is normal when you go from a rival in London to another club, and they pay big money for you, some people will doubt me. But I just knew my qualities, I believed in myself and obviously the manager and my team-mates helped me a lot, because it's not always easy in those situations.

"Everyone was there for me, everyone was ready to help, and I think that's why at one point it just started working. I think I grew up a lot, it just happens when things are not going your way, you grow up as a person and as a player as well."