Key decision: Mikel Arteta must decide if Kai Havertz is fit enough to start for Arsenal against Leeds
Arsenal Football Newsletter
Mikel Arteta has a big decision to make over Kai Havertz’s fitness when Arsenal travel to face Leeds on Saturday.
The Gunners make the trip to Elland Road looking to end a three-match winless run that has given their rivals hope in the Premier League title race.
Havertz made his first start in almost a year in midweek when he featured against Kairat in the Champions League, and he registered a goal and an assist inside 15 minutes.
The German was replaced at half-time in what was a pre-planned decision and it now remains to be seen whether Arteta decides he is up to speed enough to start in the Premier League.
“Yeah he's ready,” Arteta said on Friday. ”Obviously it's been a long period and now we need to manage that load and the games that we're going to select for him to start.
“But there was no reaction to [the Kairat match]. I think it was super positive, you could see straightaway the impact that he can have in the team. So yeah, he's ready.”
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Arteta could opt to give Havertz minutes off the bench instead, with Viktor Gyokeres potentially leading the line.
William Saliba and Jurrien Timber are both fit after missing the match against Kairat with “niggles”.
The likes of Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and Gabriel were rested in midweek and should all come back into the starting lineup here.
Riccardo Calafiori played 45 minutes in the Champions League and could earn his first Premier League minutes since December in Yorkshire.
Max Dowman is currently the only Arsenal player out through injury and it means some first-team players will miss out on the matchday squad.
Predicted Arsenal XI (4-3-3): Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Zubimendi, Rice, Odegaard; Saka, Gyokeres, Trossard
Injured: Dowman
Venue: Elland Road, Leeds
Time and date: 3pm GMT on Saturday January 31, 2026