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Kai Havertz says he’s had to put his ego to one side after scoring Arsenal’s dramatic late winner against Brentford.
The German midfielder, who has adapted to play a different role to the one asked of him at Chelsea last season, climbed off to the bench to score a hugely important 89th minute winner at the GTech Community Stadium – a goal that sends Arsenal top of the Premier League table ahead of Manchester City and Liverpool.
The goal was just Havertz’s second in Arsenal colours following his £65m summer switch and his first from open play – his previous strike came from the penalty spot in the convincing away win at Bournemouth.
Havertz has faced criticism for his performances, with many questioning Arsenal’s decision to spend so much money on the 24-year-old, and he told TNT Sports that he’s happy to repay the faith shown in him by his teammates and by the club’s supporters.
“Today I got it [the goal] and it paid back, I am just happy I got it for the team,” Havertz said. “It was a brilliant goal and brilliant pass as well. I think we train this way as a team a lot, Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard love to play those balls.
“It is hard work, nothing comes from itself and you have to work and have to believe. I tried to put my ego aside and the team is the important thing.”
“I am so thankful for these guys,” he said of Arsenal’s fans. “It is hard when a new signing comes and they pay a lot of money for you. I am just thankful they keep supporting me.”
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta told BBC’s Match of the Day that he “doesn’t know anybody who is not happy for him” and added that Havertz is a “tremendous football player”.
The result was a tough pill to swallow for Brentford manager Thomas Frank, who said after the game that a draw would have been a fair result on the balance of play.
“That’s the tough one in this beautiful game that we lose a game where get so many things right. It should have been a draw,” Frank remarked to TNT Sports.
“We managed to keep them very quiet throughout the game, then Saka has one fantastic moment, a fantastic cross that decides the game. Either team could have won, it could easily have been us.”
