Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta praised Kai Havertz after the forward continued his impressive form in the Gunners’ 3-1 victory over Southampton.
Havertz scored his fourth Premier League goal of the season – his sixth across all competitions – helping Arsenal maintain their unbeaten start to the campaign.
After Cameron Archer’s unexpected opener put Arsenal behind, the German international equalized in the 58th minute with a clinical finish from Bukayo Saka’s pass, igniting the Gunners’ comeback.
The Havertz we are seeing at the Emirates Stadium is a far cry from the player who struggled to find his footing at Chelsea.
He recorded his highest tally in the English top flight last season and is proving instrumental in dispelling the notion that Arsenal requires a more traditional number nine to contend for the title.
“You can tell [his confidence has grown], he takes the ball and he runs with the ball,” Arteta said after the Saints win.
“He’s on high press, he goes full gas, the way he holds the ball, the position he takes in the box.
“He’s an attacking midfielder, he plays as a nine, you don’t know where he is, that’s his football brain.
“His focus now is ‘I’m going to win the game, I’m going to do it’ and that’s a different thing.
“When he’s practising, he wants more and he’s not satisfied with what he’s doing because there is still, I think, another level from him.
“Obviously, he’s surrounded by incredible players but something has changed in him and that confidence, you really sense it and now he’s putting it into games and he’s winning football matches which is great.”
The 25-year-old has now scored in seven consecutive games at the Emirates Stadium, equaling Robin van Persie’s record from the 2011-12 season.
Kai Havertz has also been called up to Julian Nagelsmann’s Germany squad for their upcoming UEFA Nations League matches against Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Netherlands on October 11 and 14, respectively.
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