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Mikel Arteta says Kai Havertz is making a “huge impact” on the Arsenal squad after the north London club continued their quest for the Premier League name with a 3-0 win over Brighton at the American Express Stadium on Saturday.
After a rocky start to his Arsenal career following his arrival at the club from Chelsea in the summer, Havertz has an integral component to Arteta’s plans, generating the kind of performances that have made him one of Europe’s most sought-after strikers.
He scored his side’s second goal in the win over Brighton, which returned them to the top of the table, taking their tally to 10 goals in all competitions this season.
“He’s definitely having a big impact on the team. His overall performances have been very brilliant and now his goal contribution figures are very high,” coach Mikel Arteta told reporters.
“I think his understanding of attacking players is excellent. I think they had a genuine goal and a genuine connection and a lot of clarity on where to attack and we created a lot of chances. “
Havertz named the ideal player at Brighton, a way back to the start of the season when his role didn’t seem clear and Arsenal enthusiasts were slow to get used to him.
“He’s obviously in a very different moment. He’s got players around him and we’ve tried to create the right environment for him,” Arteta said of the 24-year-old.
“I think it’s very important for any player to feel confident and we hope to give him the love he needs. He has the admiration of the rest of the players and the club and now of our club’s fans, of course. “”.
With a couple of tough away games ahead of them, adding to north London rivals Tottenham at the end of the month, Arsenal’s away form is a source of optimism.
They haven’t conceded a goal in five away games and have scored 20 goals in those games, but the win in Brighton was impressive as the south coast side hadn’t lost at home since August.
“It’s a very difficult position to win and win, but also in the way and the formula with which we’ve done it. I hope so, that we can continue to do what we are doing,” Arteta said.