Neville makes Ronaldo point to defend under fire Havertz after Arsenal criticism

09 August 2023 , 01:00

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Gary Neville is backing Kai Havertz (Image: The Overlap)

Gary Neville believes that Kai Havertz can mirror Cristiano Ronaldo's spectacular upturn in form during his early days at Manchester United if he beds in at Arsenal.

Havertz, 24, has been rescued from his struggles at Chelsea after Gunners manager Mikel Arteta sanctioned an eyebrow-raising £65million deal to sign him last month. Three years after Premier League fans questioned first where his best position is, the Germany international remains a somewhat confusing player, leading the likes of Jamie Carragher to doubt his chances at Arsenal.

"He wasn't a disaster at Chelsea, he did alright," Liverpool legend Carragher declared on the Overlap. "He scored the winner in the Champions League final. I am still a bit unsure of where he will fit in at Arsenal. You are wondering if someone can get more out of him. He played up front against [Manchester] City but he isn't a striker. I think he will play where [Granit] Xhaka played last season."

But former United captain Neville appears to be more trusting in Arteta's capacity to get the best out of Havertz, whose best return in a Premier League season is eight goals. "I like Havertz a lot, he was under-performing at Chelsea," Neville, who witnessed first-hand Ronaldo's maturing at Old Trafford as he became a Ballon d'Or winning-player by his fifth year in England, began.

"I think he is a very good player and will be a lot better than at Chelsea. I thought [new Chelsea manager Mauricio] Pochettino would want to work with him, I am surprised he let him go. I would play him up front.

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"You are hoping he will kick on like [Marcus] Rashford has, after scoring 8-10 goals a season for a few years. Ronaldo did it for a few years. I think he can get 15-20 goals in the right team with that confidence and maturity."

Havertz was indeed deployed up front on Sunday for the Community Shield final at Wembley, as Arsenal snatched a 101st-minute equaliser against Treble champions City and later won on penalties. Despite failing to put away multiple chances, Arteta described the ex-Bayer Leverkusen star's performance as "superb."

Kai Havertz has a £65million price tag to live up to at Arsenal (Matthew Ashton - AMA/Getty Images)

Have your say! Will Kai Havertz kick on like Cristiano Ronaldo? Let us know your prediction in the comments section.

"The way he pressed and how intelligent he is to try and understand certain spaces and the timing of it, he was great and got in great positions to score," the Gunners' boss explained. "He was unlucky not to score but he was very physical when he needed to be, so I was very pleased with him."

But as Carraghed alluded to, Havertz's eventual role under Arteta could be operating as a No.8 following the departure of midfielder Xhaka. Recently, Arteta was asked directly where he expects the 24-year-old to play.

"Well he's played the majority of the moments as an attacking midfielder on the left but he can play on the right, he can play as a winger coming inside, as a nine, as a false nine," the Spaniard replied. "We will see. It depends as well, we are seeing a lot of things, I think the team gives you a lot of information every day.

"[You often see] some connections and some relations that you did not expect until you feel, 'Look what is happening there' and it is natural. So we have to have our eyes open to that and not just close the door to something, because sometimes that is not the best thing to do."

Nathan Ridley