Title blow? Mikel Arteta suffers new Arsenal injury setback

Mikel Arteta will not be able to call upon Arsenal forward Kai Havertz until next month (Picture: Getty)

Kai Havertz has suffered a setback in his recovery from knee surgery and is expected to be sidelined until early to mid-January.

The 26-year-old forward has managed just one solitary appearance this season, which came on the first day of Arsenal ’s Premier League campaign away to Manchester United .

While Havertz came off the bench and saw out remainder of Arsenal’s 1-0 victory that day, it later emerged that the German had sustained a knee injury at Old Trafford – and he went under the knife the following week.

According to Daily Mail Sport , Havertz had been a matter of days away from his first-team return in November, no doubt itching to get back out on the pitch and help contribute towards the Gunners’ title push.

Havertz went down with a problem in one the final training sessions before his proposed comeback, though, and the attacker has been forced to shift his target date back to the middle of January.

The report claims Havertz is hopeful of being match ready in time for the Premier League leaders’ heavyweight clash at home to reigning champions Liverpool on January 8.

Havertz suffered the knee injury in his one and only appearance this season (Picture: Getty)