Kai Havertz has now admitted that the Arsenal midfielder must be ‘careful’ about an issue he concedes is ‘not optimal’ before facing Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.
The Gunners head down to Amex Stadium with a chance to return to the top of the Premier League table. Arsenal sit two points behind Liverpool through 30 fixtures but boast the best offence and defence. Mikel Arteta’s side have scored 72 goals to just 24 conceded this term.
Arteta has further seen Havertz offer eight of Arsenal’s goals over his 29 appearances since joining from Chelsea. Only Bukayo Saka with 13 in 28 matches has hit the back of a net more often than the 24-year-old. Havertz has also offered a further four assists in red-and-white.
Arsenal star Kai Havertz has the 27th-most goal involvements in the Premier League
His output places Havertz as the 27th-most productive Premier League player ahead of this weekend for goal involvements. But referees have also shown the 44-cap Germany attacker eight yellows so far this term. Now, he sits on the bubble of getting a one-game suspension.
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Havertz must avoid seeing two yellow cards in Arsenal’s next two Premier League games to avoid an automatic two-game ban. The threshold for cautions is 10 yellow cards in a team’s first 32 league games. Arsenal visit Brighton this Saturday then host Aston Villa next Sunday.
Kai Havertz admits he ‘must be careful’ against Brighton and Aston Villa
No Arsenal player has attracted a referee’s attention more often than Havertz this season so far. Gabriel Jesus has received the second-most yellow cards by a Gunners player with six in 20 games. Ben White ranks third at Emirates Stadium with five yellow cards over 29 games.
Now, Havertz admits his yellow card record is ‘not optimal’ and that the Arsenal star must be ‘careful’ at Brighton and then also against Aston Villa. But the quick turnaround between the Gunners’ win against Luton Town and trip to the south coast leaves little time to learn a lot.
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“There isn’t really that much time to analyse a lot,” Havertz told Sky Germany. “Rather, you always have to be ready somehow. And, now, the next important game is waiting for us.
“My yield of yellow cards isn’t optimal but you’re always learning. I have to be a little careful about that but I think it’s possible.”