Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta faces a big call with his team selection. The team prepares for their upcoming match against Leeds United on August 23. Yet the debate over the division of labor in front of the advance guard became suddenly, dramatically more clear. This change comes on the heels of Kai Havertz’s knee injury prognosis. With Havertz’s fitness in doubt, Viktor Gyokeres will almost certainly take the field as the leading striker when Arsenal kicks off at 5:30 pm, a match that will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.
Havertz only recently returned from a serious long-term hamstring injury that kept him out for the first half of last season. Now, as he battles another potential setback, Arteta’s initial plans for the team’s big game against Liverpool on August 31 have been complicated. The manager was clearly going to have to balance the advantages of starting one of Havertz or Gyokeres over the other. Unfortunately, that decision is no longer within their control.
Upcoming Matches and Broadcast Details
Although Arsenal’s trip to Leeds is a daunting prospect, it’s only the first of a series of key clashes coming up over the next few weeks. Following the Leeds match, the team will face Liverpool on August 31, with kick-off scheduled for 4:30 pm, live on Sky Sports. Other important matches include a clash with Nottingham Forest on September 13 at 12:30 pm and a bout against Manchester City on September 21 at 4:30 pm. Arsenal’s first-ever Champions League fixture will begin sometime between September 16-18. Then on September 28, they’ll host Newcastle.
Sky Sports will be a key player in showcasing these matches. This season, they’ll air a minimum of 215 Premier League matches completely commercial free and live. That’s quite an increase over last year, which hosted a total of 128 matches. Today, there are as many as 80 percent of all televised Premier League matches on Sky Sports!
Team Fitness Concerns
Beyond Havertz’s injury troubles, Arsenal had a torrid time with injuries last season. Both Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka were sidelined for over a dozen league fixtures through injury last term. As it stands, only Bukayo Saka looks truly fit as we enter what promises to be a thrilling but crammed season. The unexpected crises place even more pressure on Arteta to make sure that his potentially lopsided squad is still competitive in the face of fitness concerns.
As the discussions surrounding the striker position continue, football analyst Jamie Carragher expressed his expectations regarding Havertz’s role in future games.
“I think Mikel Arteta will go back to Havertz in the big games,” – Jamie Carragher
He further added,
“I would be very surprised if Havertz doesn’t play.” – Jamie Carragher
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