After having a difficult afternoon against Fulham, Mikel Arteta has given Kai Havertz the support of Arsenal fans.
At the Emirates Stadium, Andreas Pereira capitalized on a mistake by Bukayo Saka to score the opening goal, leaving the Gunners trailing right away.
With the help of Saka’s penalty and Eddie Nketiah’s first goal of the year, Arsenal eventually tied the score before taking the lead, but they were unable to hold on as Fulham’s Calvin Bassey was dismissed in his first Premier League start for Arsenal.
Fulham’s equalizer was scored by Joao Palhinha, who took advantage of Arsenal’s lapse in focus to earn Fulham a crucial point and a 2-2 draw.
One of the game’s most notable talking points was the audible annoyance directed at summer acquisition Havertz, who attracted the ire of the crowd by playing the ball backwards rather than forward. The German had a difficult afternoon because despite frequently appearing in advantageous situations without ever having a significant impact on the game.
When asked in the press conference following the game if he was concerned that the Arsenal supporters were already turning against Havertz, Arteta brushed the question off and backed Havertz to succeed given enough time.
“No, I saw a move where he played backwards and had the option to turn.
We had a win-at-all-costs mentality, so I believe that was what everyone was under more pressure to do, according to Arteta.
He continued, “Yes, I think so. I believe he has already made some excellent decisions. In some parts of today, it was difficult. Although he was in excellent positions, the ball never came. He ought to have already scored many goals this season in a number of circumstances. The thing that’s missing there is that. “.
Nketiah, who was benched in favor of Leandro Trossard at the beginning of the game but came on at halftime after the former Brighton forward had put on a lackluster 45-minute performance, received special praise from Arteta.
When asked about Nketiah’s impact, Arteta said, “He looks like a real threat right now. He is confident and in a good mood. The moment I told him he would be arriving in the second half, I could immediately see the fire in his eyes. He has a good eye for goal, and his execution of the action was excellent.
“It’s challenging to omit any of the players. Numerous players who have yet to play are on the bench, in my opinion. Even though we only meet once per week now, our preparation will be very different when we start meeting twice weekly. “.
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