Mikel Arteta confirms unexpected Arsenal injury boost before Bournemouth and PSG
Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Kai Havertz has a chance of playing again before the end of the season as he nears end of recovery from long-term hamstring injury
Mikel Arteta has said that Kai Havertz could return for Arsenal before the end of the season in a huge injury boost for the Gunners. The Germany forward has been out with a hamstring injury since January and it was initially believed he would be missing until the start of next season.
But his recovery has gone well and Arteta reckons Havertz could be back later this month with Arsenal still dreaming of a Champions League final. Arteta said: “I think so. If everything goes the way it’s going at the way at the moment and way it’s planned he will have the chance to play a few more games this season.
The Gunners boss then added that he hopes Jorginho can also return from an issue that has kept him sidelined for several weeks. Arsenal host Bournemouth on Saturday evening knowing a win would all but guarantee Champions League qualification next season.
And with the second leg of their semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain to come next week, with the French side leading 1-0 after their initial minute, Arteta said he will speak to his players about not being distracted against the Cherries.
“The only thing we can control is our performances, emotional state,” he said. “There are still a lot of things we want to do in the Premier League.”
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Should Chelsea and Nottingham Forest both lose this weekend and Arsenal win, a top five spot will be guaranteed with three games to play. Arteta added: “We have to earn the right to win the game by being better against Bournemouth. It’s a lot of Ifs.
“The most important one is to increase the probabilities of winning our game. That’s the most important thing.”
Both Bournemouth and Arsenal have been frustrated by draws recently, and Cherries boss Andoni Iraola said: “Arsenal is going to be very, very, very difficult. They’ve lost one game this season (in the league) at home.
“To beat them you have to be something special. If you play at your normal level, it’s not going to be enough. Defensively they are the best team in the league by far. The number of goals they’ve conceded is ridiculously low.
“But also they had some draws, they had some results probably not the ones they wanted and we’ll try also to get one.
“One point now doesn’t give you the jump you want in the standings but it shows – to be four games without a loss – that we have been very competitive. Now it’s a matter of these small details.”
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