Alan Shearer has now been delivering heavy praise for an Arsenal player before tonight’s Champions League tie with Bayern Munich.
Mikel Arteta’s side have a huge task on their hands, overcoming a tough record against the 32-time German Champions.
It felt as if almost all of Arsene Wenger’s final Champions League campaigns either ended against Bayern or Barcelona in the past.
And just as he did against FC Porto in the last round, Arteta will be looking to rewrite the club’s history.
Of course, with so many players fit and available tonight, Arsenal have a wealth of options, and Arteta has some tough calls to make.
As well as having a three-way shootout for the left-back role between Jakub Kiwior, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Oleksandr Zinchenko, there’s also rich competition in the position ahead.
Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard would all be unhappy to be sat on the bench tonight, feeling they are the player to decide the tie.
That being said, there’s no such doubt over Kai Havertz, who’s nailed down the false nine position at the Emirates.
Alan Shearer says Kai Havertz has been an outstanding signing for Arsenal this season
Kai Havertz has quickly become one of Mikel Arteta’s most important and reliable performers, an incredible turnaround from his early months at the club.
And having included the Arsenal attacker in his ‘Team of the Week’ for his Brighton & Hove Albion performance, Alan Shearer shared some lofty praise.
Shearer, who knew a thing or two about scoring goals in the Premier League, said that Havertz must be the first name on the Arsenal team sheet right now.
He explained: “Ruthless again for Arsenal. He’s been incredible for them since the turn of the year and is now one of the first names on the team sheet.
“He’s been an outstanding signing.”
Of course, Thomas Tuchel’s Bayern Munich side will be well aware of Havertz’s talent, given the Arsenal forward lines up with a lot of their starters for his country.
And whilst no one of an Arsenal persuasion is expecting Havertz to change roles, perhaps Arteta does have a surprise ready for tonight with his team selection.
That all being said, it was a different Arsenal attacker who Eric Dier has been praising ahead of tonight’s game.
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