Arsenal confirm Kai Havertz injury boost as Mikel Arteta wish comes true before next match

Arsenal have been handed a huge injury boost with Kai Havertz making his long-awaited return to the training pitches.

Kai Havertz looks to have taken a significant step in his recovery from a knee injury. The Germany international has missed the last four months with a setback, but was pictured on the grass on London Colney ahead of the Carabao Cup tie against Crystal Palace.

Following a cameo appearance on the opening day of the season against Manchester United, Havertz suffered a knee injury that required a minor procedure. He was expected to return in late November or early December, but has remained out of action throughout this period.

There were fears he had recently suffered a setback in his recovery, but Arteta appeared to play those down ahead of the win against Everton.

When asked about Havertz, the Arsenal boss said: “He’s progressing really well and quite fast in the last few weeks. We are really positive that if everything continues like that in the next training sessions, he’s going to be with us.”

And Arteta’s words were seemingly proven on Monday evening with Havertz spotted back in training. The Gunners also posted three photos of the 26-year-old in the gym, with the caption: “Step by step.”

Havertz returning just in time for the busy Christmas period will come as a big boost for Arteta, but that has come alongside a fresh worry with Piero Hincapie absent from the photographs taken on Monday.

Elsewhere, forward Gabriel Jesus is being carefully managed after a lengthy spell out, with some bright substitute appearances putting him in line to start Tuesday’s Carabao Cup tie.

Arteta has said: “Yes, he is [ready to start]. You can see now, not only in games, every day in training, how much he wants it. He’s going to deserve a chance soon.”

The Gunners do still have some injury blows to contend with, though, as Gabriel Magalhaes, Cristhian Mosquera, Ben White and Max Dowman are currently unavailable.

The former has been out of action since November’s international break, but he’s edging closer towards a return and could even be back before the end of the year.

Arteta said earlier this month: “He’s pushing hard as he always does every time he’s out and he’s evolving really well, he’s doing pitch sessions so he’s not too far, we have to see in the last stages of rehab how he progresses -but we are quite positive about him.”

Arsenal have a great opportunity to reach the Carabao Cup semi-finals as they face a heavily depleted and likely-fatigued Palace side.

Oliver Glasner is without Daniel Munoz and Daichi Kamada because of injury while Jean-Phillipe Mateta is, also, managing an issue that has resulted in the former needing surgery.