The five games Kai Havertz has missed for Arsenal – & how they fared without him

Kai Havertz has only missed five matches since Arsenal signed him from Chelsea in the summer of 2023. But how do the Gunners fare when they have to make do without one of Mikel Arteta’s most trusted lieutenants?

After suffering a torn hamstring injury whilst away in Arsenal’s training camp in Dubai, Havertz is set to miss the remainder of the 2024-25 campaign. It will be interesting to see how his team-mates fare in his absence, especially given the other attackers are also sidelined.

Here are the five games that Havertz has missed for Arsenal since the start of the 2023-24 campaign. All are Premier League games unless otherwise specified.

Arsenal 0-2 West Ham

The only game that Havertz played no part across his debut 2023-24 season, he missed the visit of David Moyes’ West Ham in December 2023. One of only two home league defeats that Arsenal have suffered since the beginning of last season.

Accumulation of yellow cards saw the Germany international suspended for the visit of the Hammers, in which Arteta rejigged his XI by putting Leandro Trossard in midfield behind a front three of Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka.

Declan Rice acted as the pivot and tasted a bitter defeat in his first game against his former club, in which Moyes notched the first and only Premier League victory away to a ‘big six’ team in his managerial career.

Arsenal dominated, notching 74% possession and 30 shots (eight on target) to the visitors’ six but couldn’t find a way past Alphonse Areola. The Gunners missed the chance to go top going into 2024 and those three dropped points ultimately cost them the Premier League title.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Twelve of Harvertz’s 85 appearances off the bench have come off the bench. Those cameos included him assisting Gabriel Martinelli’s famous match-winner in the 1-0 over Man City back in October 2023 before scoring a memorable late winner away to Brentford a month later.

But his services weren’t required on this occasion. Arteta could afford to give him the night off and leave him as an unused substitute as his team-mates romped home to a convincing 3-0 victory over surprise package Nottingham Forest ahead of a packed schedule following the November international break.

Arsenal went into the match having taken just two of the last 12 points on offer but got their title challenge back on track with goals from Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Raheem Sterling.

Arsenal 3-2 Crystal Palace (League Cup)

Arteta did as is customary in the early rounds of the Carabao Cup in December and rang in the changes, benching Havertz to give Jesus a rare opportunity up top.

And it looked to be just the tonic for the out-of-favour Brazilian, who suddenly refound his confidence with three exceptionally well-taken goals.

Jesus then lined up alongside Havertz three days later as they faced Palace once again in the league. He continued his brief resurgence with another two goals, only to cruelly suffer a season-ending injury a short while later.

This time around Arteta won’t be able to call upon the former Manchester City man. The definition of an injury headache, this.

Kai Havertz Mikel Arteta Injury Stats Compared Record With Without Since Signed 2023 Win Percentage

Brentford 1-4 Arsenal

Havertz had never missed a game through injury for the Gunners until now, but illness kept him out of their trip to Brentford on New Year’s Day. You might call it a semantic difference.

Thomas Frank’s Bees boasted one of the best home records in the Premier League at the time but Arsenal turned up with an authoritative performance.

Havertz’s surprise absence was the source of consternation, while Bryan Mbeumo’s early opener for the hosts set nerves jangling. The visitors responded well, though, with deputy Jesus once again stepping up with the equaliser before Mikel Merino and Gabriel Martinelli added a second and third.

Brighton 1-1 Arsenal

The same mystery bug kept Havertz out of action for Arsenal’s trip to Brighton three days after the Brentford win.

Ethan Nwaneri was once again given the nod in Arteta’s frontline, lacking both Saka and Havertz, at the Amex. The teenager stepped up with a brilliant opener but Arsenal dropped two points after Joao Pedro converted a controversial penalty midway through the second half.