Kai Havertz scored on his first start in a yr as Arsenal accomplished an ideal Champions League group campaign with a 3-2 win over Kairat.
The Gunners finished a flawless league phase top of the pace with eight wins from eight and having conceded just 4 goals, two of which were scored by Kazakh minnows Kairat.
It took the Premier League leaders just two minutes to interrupt Kairat’s resistance as Gyokeres scored his fourth goal of the competition.
The visitors were back level through Jorginho’s penalty but Havertz’s first goal since February and Gabriel Martinelli’s tap-in put Arsenal on top of things.
Kairat scored a consolation goal late on through Ricardinho but were unable to disclaim Arsenal an eighth successive European victory and top-spot within the Champions League.
Despite only playing 45 minutes, Havertz was named the Player of the Match after starring in a midfield role in his first competitive start in 357 days.
Mikel Arteta is a known admirer of the Germany international and plenty of Arsenal fans urged the manager to start out Havertz within the Premier League following his impressive return.
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Havertz made his first return to motion earlier within the month but Arteta confirmed after the Kairat win that he’s now ready to start out games.
That would put serious pressure on Arsenal’s £64m summer signing Gyokeres, who has largely underwhelmed on the Emirates Stadium despite having fun with success within the Champions League.
Gyokeres was impressed by Havertz’s display – insisting he ‘performed great’ – but said there was room for improvement from the team as a complete.
‘I feel we began well, other than the penalty that we gave away, after which yeah, I feel we scored some nice goals, created some good opportunities to attain much more,’ Gyokeres told Arsenal’s official website.
‘Then I feel we could’ve done a lot better within the second half. We weren’t playing as fast and as direct as in the primary half, and yeah, I feel that’s why we didn’t rating within the second half.
‘It’s a fantastic feeling to attain goals, and to assist the team. I feel we could’ve performed higher overall in the sport, but after all I’m at all times pleased with scoring.
‘It was great to have Kai back, and he performed great this game, despite the fact that he only played 45, so yeah, it went very well, I feel.’
Many Arsenal fans took to social media during and after the win over Kairat to precise their desire for Havertz to start out and replace Gyokeres within the team going forward.
The Gunners, hoping to win their first Premier League title since 2004, return to domestic motion on Saturday against Leeds United.
Arsenal’s next five fixtures
Leeds United vs Arsenal (Saturday thirty first January) – Premier League
Arsenal vs Chelsea (Tuesday third February) – Carabao Cup
Arsenal vs Sunderland (Saturday seventh February) – Premier League
Brentford vs Arsenal (Thursday twelfth February) – Premier League
Arsenal vs Wigan Athletic (Sunday fifteenth February) – FA Cup
Asked about Havertz’s importance after Arsenal’s final Champions League group game, Arteta said: ‘We realised right away how much we missed him.
‘What he brings to the team, his creativity, what he links with people, his intuition in front of goal as well so very, very pleased to have him.’
On Arsenal’s European progress as a complete, Arteta added: ‘Especially on this competition, we’re within the position that we desired to be.
‘We won eight games out of eight which is so difficult to do, so credit to the boys. We close this chapter now and we will deal with other competitions.
‘It gives you certain privilege, to play two less games and the house advantage within the second round so we just should wait and see now who we get in the following phase.
‘We are going to prepare that with loads of enthusiasm since it is a contest that we love.’
Arsenal’s 4 possible Champions League last-16 opponents are Atalanta, Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund and Olympiakos.
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