EPL 2023/24: Arteta lauds Kai Havertz's impact in Arsenal's crucial win over Brentford (WATCH)

Mikel Arteta commends Kai Havertz as a "great example" for teammates, applauding the player's resilience and contribution to Arsenal's 1-0 victory over Brentford. Havertz's late strike secured the win, marking only his second goal since his £65 million transfer from Chelsea in the summer. Arteta expressed satisfaction with Havertz's performance, emphasizing the player's exemplary behavior in challenging situations. Arteta's joy extended to the team's overall performance, acknowledging that Arsenal, while not at their best, demonstrated courage and character to secure the victory. Despite a few shaky moments, particularly from goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale in the first half, the team overcame challenges and kept a clean sheet.

Regarding Ramsdale, Arteta praised the goalkeeper's courage and personality, highlighting the positive impact on the team. He expressed happiness at witnessing the players' supportive and celebratory interactions, underscoring the camaraderie within the squad.

Arteta, celebrating his 200th game as a manager, expressed profound gratitude for the collective effort, stating that moments like these, where players show love and support for each other, make his job immensely enjoyable.

“If things come easy, you don’t value them,” said Arteta. “If things came easy then he wouldn’t have got the reception he got today with everybody hugging him and telling him how much we love him.

“It’s for a reason, it’s because of the way he behaves in difficult situations. He’s an example for all of us to do what you have to do when you have difficulties.

“It’s a great example for the team. We cannot be happier that a big player like him won the game for the team.

“Against these [low defensive] blocks, and against teams that defend the box like this, you need this kind of profile. He’s exceptional at that. Today he won the game in that action for us.

“He fully deserves [the reception from the Arsenal fans]. When you are there sometimes and you have to face it and he’s done that, he didn’t hide.

“So now go and face the beautiful moment as well because you deserve it. I knew he wasn’t going to do that, so I had to push him.” he concluded

Football pundit Steve Sidwell believes that Arsenal's triumph over Brentford delivers a powerful statement to Premier League title contenders Liverpool and Manchester City. The draw earlier in the day between Liverpool and Manchester City presented an opportunity for Arsenal to claim the top spot, and despite facing challenges in the match, Mikel Arteta's team secured the victory, propelling them to the league's leadership. Sidwell, a former Chelsea player, sees this win as a clear message to their rivals in the title race.

In a statement to the BBC, Sidwell remarked, "That win sends a statement out to Manchester City and Liverpool."

The victory is crucial for Arsenal, and the team is now considered one of the league's consistent performers. Despite anticipating tougher challenges in the future, there is optimism about maintaining a winning streak in the upcoming fixtures.

Mikel Arteta, recognised as one of England's top managers, achieved a significant milestone in the Premier League with Arsenal. The recent triumph against Brentford marked his 116th win as the Gunners' manager in 200 games, making him the Arsenal manager with the most wins after 200 games. This surpasses the records set by Arsene Wenger (111) and George Graham (106), as revealed by Coaches Voice on Twitter.

Arteta's success underscores his managerial prowess, proving critics wrong since taking on his first senior managerial role. Arsenal's management, who stood by him despite initial skepticism, is credited for their faith in Arteta. The achievement is hailed as remarkable and sets high expectations for Arteta to secure trophies in the upcoming seasons.

Expressing optimism, the opinion piece concludes that Arteta is determined to guide Arsenal to championship glory in the current campaign. The emphasis is on maintaining the team's high standards and securing victories even in less-than-ideal form, with the belief that such resilience will bring success, possibly even in European competitions.

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