Kai Havertz has duo in agreement with Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta sent resounding verdict
Kai Havertz is in fine form for Arsenal to begin the season(Image: Getty)
Jamie Carragher and Joe Cole reckon "world-class" Kai Havertz is undroppable at Arsenal. The duo sang the German striker's praises and sent Mikel Arteta a message following the Gunners' 2-1 victory over Chelsea.
Defending Premier League champions Arsenal have begun this season as they finished last. Arteta's men are a perfect three from three, opening their top-flight campaign with a 3-0 victory over promoted Coventry City. A hard-fought 1-0 win away at Aston Villa followed before London rivals Chelsea visited Emirates Stadium.
Record summer signing Morgan Rogers gave the Blues an early lead inside two minutes, but Havertz was on hand to equalise in the 25th minute. A well-worked Martin Odegaard strike in the second half secured all three points. So far this season, Havertz has scored in the 3-0 Community Shield win against Manchester City as well as in the Coventry and Chelsea matches.
He is successfully fending off Viktor Gyokeres, who cost an initial £54.8million last summer and scored 21 goals in his debut season, for a starting berth up front. Cole and Carragher both agree that Havertz is world-class, with the former baffled at Chelsea's decision to let him go.
"Look at the amount of money on centre-forwards the club [Chelsea] has spent since they let him [Havertz] go out the door," Cole told Premier League Productions. "It's just not good enough. I think it's got to stop happening.
Havertz was on target against his old club on Sunday(Image: Getty)
"It happened with Kevin De Bruyne [leaving]; it happened with Kai Havertz. Those kinds of deals never happened at Manchester United with Sir Alex Ferguson or with Arsene Wenger at Arsenal. When did you hear of them letting go of a player who went on to become world-class at one of your rivals?"
Carragher, speaking on Sky Sports, agrees that Havertz is an impressive first-choice option at centre-forward and insists it would take one of the world's best to displace the 27-year-old.
"To displace Havertz out of this team, you're talking about one of the best players in the world, that's what you have to get," said Carragher. "It has to be an Ian Wright, guaranteed 30 goals a season, Thierry Henry. Gyokeres is never taking Havertz's place. Ever.
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"Morgan Rogers, I'm not sure [would have], as well. It's not about how good they are just in attack, it's what they give you for the team. One of the reasons why you can't break Arsenal down as a team is how well they press from the front.
Carragher was impressed with the German forward(Image: Getty)
"But then when the opposition get through that, they all get behind the ball and Havertz is about 25, 30 yards from his goal. You go and ask a world-class striker to do that, a guy who's obsessed with his numbers and his goals to come back and do that, he won't."
Arteta has been handed an unequivocal verdict: Havertz must continue to lead Arsenal's line. Next up for the Gunners is a tricky Champions League opening clash away at Napoli.
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