‘He’s hiding’: Pundit thinks Arsenal players may soon start to get tired of 24-year-old teammate

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Craig Burley suggested that Kai Havertz almost appeared to be hiding for Arsenal in their win over Manchester United, and thinks that some of his teammates may start to ask questions if Mikel Arteta persists with him.

Burley was speaking to ESPN as the form of the Germany international remains a real concern for the Gunners – despite their dramatic victory over Erik ten Hag’s side on Sunday.

Kai Havertz has had the start many would have feared when he made the move from Chelsea over the summer. It always seemed imperative that he hit the ground running given the money that Arsenal decided to spend on him.

Unfortunately, Havertz has definitely not made a fast start. And Sunday proved to be another tough afternoon for the attacking midfielder.

Havertz potentially hiding in Arsenal win

He fluffed his lines from eight yards out when Arsenal fans must have expected a goal to be scored. Somehow, Havertz made barely any contact with the ball and the Gunners were ultimately fortunate to end up with a corner.

It did seem that the turning point may come in the second-half. Havertz went down inside the penalty area after a challenge from Aaron Wan Bissaka. It was initially no surprise when Anthony Taylor pointed to the penalty spot.

However, replays showed that the contact with minimal. And the decision was overturned after a VAR review.

Havertz also gave the ball away for Manchester United’s goal. And with that, Burley suggested that Arteta is risking upsetting the Arsenal players by sticking with Havertz as he was asked whether he is a bad player, or simply in bad form.

“I think he’s looking like a bad player right now, because it’s been for so long. And I think he’s putting himself in positions on the pitch where – and I think it was Shaka who said to me before we came on – you could suggest he’s hiding a little bit. And that’s just not a good scenario to be in. Look, you’ve got to ask yourself a question. Are City going to come back to the pack? That’s highly unlikely. Now, the gap’s only two points I know. It’s very early in the season,” he told ESPN.

“When you’re chasing that kind of quality, can you afford to continue to say we’ve got a passenger, I paid a lot of money for him, we keep giving him time? It’s not just the results. Other players start to ask questions.”

It is significant that Fabio Vieira has now provided two assists in his two substitute appearances this season. And remarkably – given what happened to Havertz yesterday – he also won a penalty in the draw with Fulham.

Vieira can hardly be doing more to prove a point to Arteta after his own tough start to life in North London. Meanwhile, Emile Smith Rowe’s situation almost seems baffling at this point.

That is doing Havertz no favours. And there are clearly plenty of concerns that it is simply not going to click for him at the Emirates.