Arsenal emerged victorious in the North London derby as one player put in a real shift against Tottenham.
Mikel Arteta will be ecstatic to walk away from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with three points and bragging rights.
The Gunners beat their North London rivals despite not having a host of first-choice players available, making the victory even sweeter for the visitors.
It was Gabriel Magalhaes’ second half header that won Arsenal the game in N17 however, there were plenty of top performers aside from the towering centre-back.
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Kai Havertz was impressive for Arsenal against Tottenham
Ahead of the match, there was a lot of talk regarding Kai Havertz and the position he would assume in Martin Odegaard’s absence.
The German led the line as expected however, his work spanned far from just being a target figure in the spearhead of attack.
It was not a pretty game for Havertz, but it was a ‘superb’ one, as the 25-year-old was described by journalist Charles Watts.
Statistically, it was a dominant performance from the forward, who showed Arteta that he can do a lot more than just score goals when called upon for the Gunners.
As per Sofascore, Havertz recorded two shots on target, made five clearances and executed two tackles, with his most impressive statistic coming defensively.
The forward actually won more duels than Arsenal’s centre-back duo of William Saliba and Gabriel combined, winning 11 duels in 90 minutes for the Gunners.
Havertz is so important to Mikel Arteta
At a time when Arteta really needed to lean on his available senior players, Havertz showed just what he can offer his manager.
The Germany international was unplayable at times against Spurs, despite not having his usual impact on the pitch.
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Aside from being a target figure going forward, the 25-year-old was incredibly difficult for Spurs’ defence to battle, as highlighted by his impeccable number of duel wins in the fixture.
The same will be expected from the striker next time out, as the challenges don’t stop for the Gunners, as a trip to the Etihad to face Manchester City comes next in the Premier League.
It was a derby performance to admire from Havertz, whose impact will be appreciated by his manager and Arsenal fans far and wide.
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