BritishCoach Mikel Arteta pulled Kai Havertz back onto the field to receive praise and share joy with the fans, after the German striker scored the only goal to help Arsenal defeat Brentford 1-0 in round 13 of the Premier League.
In the 79th minute, Arteta brought Havertz on to replace Gabriel Martinelli. 10 minutes later, the German player brought victory to Arsenal. From Bukayo Saka's cross on the right wing, Havertz ran into the far post, headed the ball through goalkeeper Mark Flekken's leg into the net.
This goal not only helped Arsenal get all three points, but also helped Havertz relieve some of the pressure. Before the away trip to Gtech Community Stadium, the player bought by Arsenal for $82 million last summer had only scored 1 goal in 19 matches in all competitions - statistics that made him suspect and criticized.
When referee Tim Robinson blew the final whistle, Havertz did not seem to intend to go to the corner of the stands with Arsenal fans to celebrate the victory like his teammates, but instead walked towards the dressing room. But Arteta pulled his student back onto the field in a "neck lock" position and patted the German player on the chest. The Spanish coach also pointed at Havertz so he could receive praise when the two approached the corner of the stands with away team fans.
Coach Arteta grabbed Havertz by the neck and pulled Havertz back onto the field to receive applause from Arsenal fans after the 1-0 win over Brentford in round 13 of the Premier League. Image: AFP
Arteta's actions caused a stir on social networks X. "So beautiful. Havertz is repaying Arteta's trust," one account commented. “The way Arteta brought Havertz to the fans is so classy,” another person wrote.
In the post-match press conference, Arteta praised Havertz for his finishing ability, versatility and special qualities to play in many positions. When asked about the moment when he pulled his students towards the away team's fans, the 41-year-old coach replied: "Havertz deserves it. He faces and does not hide from difficult times. So now enjoy the beautiful moment because Havertz deserves it. I knew Havertz wouldn't do that, so I had to push him."
Coach Arteta pointed at Havertz and called on Arsenal fans to applaud his student after the 1-0 win over Brentford in round 13 of the Premier League. Image: AFP
Meanwhile, Havertz emphasized that the most important thing was victory and praised Saka for his perfect cross. “I worked very hard to get these moments back and today, I got them so I'm very, very happy,” the 24-year-old player expressed. “It's something we practiced a lot too. I run and hope the ball lands in the right spot. And it came perfectly so I was happy to score."
Havertz's goal put Arsenal at the top of the Premier League when taking advantage of Man City and Liverpool holding each other in the earliest match. The "Gunners" currently have 30 points, one and two points more than Man City and Liverpool respectively.
“It's always good to be in the lead, but you have to focus on each game and the season is long with a lot of games. You need to focus on yourself, win matches and then see what happens in the end,” Havertz added.
On November 29, Arsenal will return home to host Lens in round five of Group B of the Champions League. Havertz and his teammates will definitely continue with the top spot if they win three points.
Hong Duy
