Mikel Arteta reserved special praise for Kai Havertz following Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, highlighting the forward’s ‘unbelievable’ football brain and work ethic.
After being held to a goalless draw by Atalanta in their group-stage opener, the Gunners cruised to a comfortable victory over Luis Enrique’s limp PSG side, with Havertz and Bukayo Saka finding the target in a dominant first-half display.
Havertz nodded the hosts in front with a brave header beyond a hapless Gianluigi Donnarumma in the 20th minute and was later handed the man-of-the-match award for an exceptional all-round performance up front.
The goal meant the in-form Germany international has found the net in each of Arsenal’s last six matches at the Emirates in all competitions.
‘He’s been unbelievable,’ Arsenal head coach Arteta told Amazon Prime host Gabby Logan shortly after the final whistle.
‘His football brain, the way he understands space, his timing, the way he brings people together, he just gels the team
‘His work ethic is incredible and every time he’s around the box he’s a real threat. He’s one of our main players at the moment.’
Arteta was delighted with Arsenal’s ‘very dominant’ first-half showing against a dangerous PSG team with ‘a lot of personality’.
‘I’m really happy, obviously,’ the Spaniard added.
‘We played a big opponent, a team that has a lot of personality that is really difficult to deal with, especially when you don’t have the ball.
‘But especially in the first half, we were very dominant and the second half was a different story.’
Arsenal have enjoyed phenomenal success from set-pieces over the last 12 months and so it proved again, with Saka’s 35th-minute free-kick somehow evading several players to double the hosts’ advantage.
Arteta made sure to credit Arsenal’s set-piece maestro, Nicolas Jover, and his entire coaching staff for their contribution on the training ground.
‘It’s another weapon that we have. Obviously, we have great takers, we have a very physical team at the moment that we can put out there,’ he continued.
‘Big credit, first of all, to the coaches for all the work that we do together and then the players for buying into and understanding that these moments are game-changers.
‘If we dominate every face of play then we become a much better team.’
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