Arsenal's leading lights echo same sentiment after PSG success kickstarts latest hope

Mikel Arteta crowned Kai Havertz as Arsenal ’s head boy after the Gunners battled to a pretty and gritty Champions League win.

First-half goals from Havertz and Bukayo Saka handed Arteta’s men their first win in Europe this season, and they withstood intense second-half pressure to keep their 17th clean sheet in 32 games in 2024. Havertz scored the winner for Chelsea in the final three years ago, and his fifth goal of the campaign showed he has not lost his appetite for delivering on the big stage.

Arteta said: "He has been unbelievable. His football brain, the way he understands space, his timing, he brings people together. His work ethic is incredible and now he is a real threat around the box. He is one of our main players at the moment.”

Arteta said the Gunners’ display will give them the confidence and belief that they can take on the big powerhouses in Europe and prosper.

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He added: “I’m really, really happy with the performance. We played an opponent that has a lot of personality, is really difficult to deal with when you don't have the ball. The first half was very dominant and we created a lot of chances and then the second half was a different story.‌

"We suffered much more than we should have done. The Champions League brings different demands but I think we handled it really well.”‌

Twelve months ago, mahtchwinner Havertz was being derided as a £65 million waste of money after his shock move from Chelsea.‌ But nobody is scoffing at him now, and the German striker said: “Coming here was a big step for me. Back in the day I wasn’t always a player who loved the duels but now I love it.

“What can we do in this competition? We are there. If we win against teams like this it always gives us a big boost. Last year against Bayern it was tough to go out but I think we grew up as a team and we want to get better.”

Acting captain Saka said: “There is a lot of hunger in my belly. I have a been a runner-up a lot and this season I want to win. I see a lot of people speak about Arsenal and the way we play. It’s about results. Different games have different contexts. We have to do whatever it takes and win in any context whether it’s set-pieces or playing our beautiful football. We just want to win.”

Full-back Jurrien Timber, who was outstanding in the first 45 minutes, was withdrawn at the interval as a precaution after a “muscular” twinge. Arteta said: “He has just come back after a year out, so we have to be careful with him.”

Arsenal’s work rate was ferocious, and Arteta added: "The players do it and they don't feel like it is nasty, they feel that it is their duty to the team. And they have started to love it. It is all about how you feel when you do something, if you really feel it you do it well, if not then you are just cheating. These guys don't cheat, they run and track back every time. If you want to be a top team you better have eleven players that are capable of working.‌

"Sometimes you don't want to play in a certain way but if the opponent takes you there you must be happy to do it. We looked a lot at different scenarios in pre-season and how we would approach them and how we can work to our own game. We want to continue to win in any context so we have to adapt.”

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