Mikel Arteta signals to his players during Arsenal

Mikel Arteta defends Kai Havertz and says Arsenal ‘should’ve scored seven’ vs Fulham

August 26, 2023 Sports 1 Views

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has defended under-fire attacker Kai Havertz following another disappointing display for the German and says the Gunners ‘should have scored seven’ in Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Fulham.

Havertz has been criticised by fans following his move from Chelsea and three games into his Arsenal career, it is still unclear how he fits in to the team.

The 24-year-old has no goals or assists yet with his new club and was replaced by Fabio Vieira after 56 minutes on Saturday, but Arteta is sure he will come good.

“I saw an action when he played backwards and he could have turned,” Arteta told reporters after the 2-2 draw at Craven Cottage.

“That’s more I think the demands of everybody to play forward and to impact the game in the final third because we had the urgency to win.”

And asked if he thought Havertz would win over the fans, he said: “Yes I think so. I think he’s done already really good things.

“Today it was tough in certain moments. He got in great areas and the ball didn’t arrive. In a lot of situations he should have scored a lot of goals already this season. That’s the thing that is missing there.”

Arteta was left frustrated as Arsenal conceded late on and had to settle for a point, despite dominating the game.

“Right from the beginning, we gave an incredible goal away,” he told Match of the Day. “You make life really difficult for yourself. But the team reacted really well. We dominated the game and created countless chances and should have scored five, six, seven goals easily.

“And when you have done the most difficult thing which is to get back ahead against a team that is well organised, you have to defend your box from one corner. It is the only chance they have and you get punished.

“Yet still you get another two chances and don’t score – that is the story of the game. The amount of things we did to merit to win the game comfortably, we end up with one point. We have to show another level of commitment and desire and ‘over my dead body’. With 10 men, you cannot concede a goal.”