It is a Christmas miracle!

For much of the 2025/26 campaign, Arsenal have battled with a fierce injury crisis and been reduced to the bare bones up front – Gabriel Jesus, Viktor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli and Noni Madueke have all faced long spells out.

But the scene has improved in recent weeks and, as per HandofArsenal on X, it is about to receive its crowning moment: Havertz is back fit and has been included in the Arsenal squad for their clash with Aston Villa on Tuesday night.

Joy might be best tempered as HandofArsenal followed up by saying that the club must still decide if he is to be named on the official matchday team sheet. Indeed, Arteta often exercises caution when reintegrating injured stars into the first team.

But to have the German back after such a long absence (322 days or 44 matches ago, albeit he played a few minutes of the final games of last season and the first 30 at Old Trafford in August) is doubtlessly a huge boost for Arsenal.

Kai Havertz could feature for Arsenal in the upcoming Aston Villa clash

No one else can match his aerial presence at CF, while Mikel Merino (I’m serious!) is perhaps the only one in the last ten months who came close to replacing his goal threat; though Havertz is not known for being super clinical, his 15 goals in 36 matches across 2024/25 is still better than his Gunners peers at CF managed in his absence.

Amidst the excitement, one should maybe not expect an immediate return: Jesus was sidelined for a similar amount of time this calendar year and only made it onto the pitch late on against Club Brugge earlier this month – the fourth match Arsenal played after his return to fitness.

The boss will likely do the same with Havertz, and why not when there is so much talent in the attack at present? Yet both his evident love for him and the player’s tactical importance to the team suggest fans will not be kept waiting long for his return to action; everyone knows just how good Havertz can be during the run-in.  

Great to have him back.      Â