The Gunners dominated the match at the Emirates, thrashing City 5-1 and keeping up the pressure on Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table. Five different players found the back of the net, with Havertz adding a touch of class with a late goal.
However, Neville was less than impressed with the German's earlier missed opportunity to double Arsenal's lead. Havertz had a golden chance to put Arsenal 2-0 up after capitalising on a Manchester City error but sent his shot wide from just inside the box, despite only having Stefan Ortega and a City defender to beat.
Neville delivered a scathing four-word assessment of the former Chelsea player's confidence on Sky Sports, saying, "He didn't want it. He didn't want it first time around (for Odegaard's goal) and didn't want it there either. Havertz is having a confidence crisis."
Earlier in the game, Manuel Akanji's mistake had given Havertz and Martin Odegaard a clear path to goal. Instead of taking the shot, Havertz passed to Odegaard, who scored within two minutes of the opening.
Despite Neville's comments, Havertz responded strongly, scoring a brilliant goal to seal a 4-1 victory and crushing any hopes of a City resurgence. This display comes after a rough stretch for Havertz, where he only scored twice in eight appearances, intensifying the demand for a new Arsenal striker in the January transfer window.
Havertz has contributed nine goals and three assists in the Premier League this season; however, discussions persist about Mikel Arteta's requirement for a reliable goal-scorer as Arsenal push for the title against Liverpool.
Arsenal's hunt for a new central striker is no secret, with the club previously having a bid rejected for Aston Villa's standout, Ollie Watkins, earlier in the transfer window. Nevertheless, as the deadline looms near, Arteta remains tight-lipped.
When questioned about Arsenal's strategies for the remaining hours of the transfer window, Arteta remained discreet, highlighting the club's focus on upcoming matches.
He said: "I don't know, my phone has been off with the transfer window, forbidden to call me, text me about any of that. My focus is that we have the best preparation we can have for Wednesday and that was the only thing I was interested in."
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