Arsenal receive major Kai Havertz injury boost as timeline for return set

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Arsenal believe that Kai Havertz has escaped serious injury and that the Germany international will feature for them again this season as they prepare for the Premier League title run-in.

Havertz was withdrawn after just half an hour of Saturday's 1-0 win over Newcastle after receiving treatment on the pitch. And with just a handful of games remaining this term, there were fears that the 26-year-old attacker could miss the remainder of the campaign if the issue was a significant one.

But The Athletic report that early assessments of the issue have been positive and that Havertz could return soon despite being likely to miss games this week.

That news will come as a major boost to Mikel Arteta and Arsenal , who will play Atletico Madrid twice for a place in the Champions League final over the next week or so.

A crucial home league game with Fulham is sandwiched in between those two games against Atletico as the Gunners enter the final stretch of the season with two major trophies at stake.

After being usurped at the top of the Premier League by Manchester City following their defeat at The Etihad last weekend, Arsenal took advantage of their title rivals playing in the FA Cup semi-finals by beating Newcastle to return to the summit.

They are now three points ahead of City, who can once again move level on points with them if they win their game in hand.

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Injuries to Havertz and Eberechi Eze, Arsenal's matchwinner, took the shine off victory in Saturday's must-win game. Eze is also undergoing assessments after going off in the early stages of the second half. He told reporters after the game that his withdrawal was “precautionary”.

Arteta said in his post-match press conference that he hoped neither issue was significant.

“We don’t think it’s too much,” the Spaniard told reporters. “We have to wait and see if they’re going to be available for Wednesday.”

Arsenal travel to Spain for the first leg of their Champions League semi-final clash with Atletico on Wednesday before hosting Diego Simeone's side in north London six days later.

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