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MIKEL ARTETA is really “disappointed” Arsenal messed up the January transfer window.But the Gunners boss says “powerhouse” Kai Havertz can carry their attack until the end of the season — starting against Newcastle.Mikel Arteta has admitted his disappointment at not adding another attacker to the Arsenal squadCredit: PAArsenal were in for Ollie Watkins at one stage but failed to strike a dealCredit: GettyBut Arteta believes Kai Havertz can lead them to gloryCredit: ReutersWith long-term injuries to forwards Gabriel Jesus (knee) and Bukayo Saka (hamstring), Arsenal were in desperate need of adding some attacking reinforcements during the winter window.Instead, the North London giants must chase down Prem leaders Liverpool and reach the latter stages of the Champions League with a squad weaker than most of their rivals.Arsenal have just one fit centre-forward in ex-Chelsea man Havertz, 25, having decided to stick with what they have instead of bringing in a body to bolster the team.The closest Arteta came to fixing his striker crisis was a futile £45million approach for Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, 29, late in the window that was quickly rejected.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThere was also interest in a loan deal for Bayern Munich attacker Mathys Tel, 19.But Emirates chiefs decided to back out of a move before Tottenham swooped to sign the Frenchman. Mikel Arteta insists the Gunners’ lack of transfer activity is NOT a “gamble”.The Spaniard claims Arsenal can now splash the cash in the summer — with top targets such as RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko, 21, valued at £60m.Ahead of trying to turn around a 2-0 deficit in tonight’s Carabao Cup semi-final second leg at Newcastle, Arteta defended the club’s cautious stance.Most read in FootballJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSAmid the horror ACL injury to Jesus last month, the Gunners chief explained: “We had a clear intention to explore opportunities to improve our squad with players that can impact it. “We haven’t achieved it so we are all disappointed.How Arsenal humbled Man City with Arteta’s genius double press“But, as well, we are very aware that we only want to bring certain kinds of players to the club and have to be very disciplined.“Nobody knows whether it is better to have done it or not. We will know probably at the end of this season.“It’s not a gamble — it is reality. We have the players that we have and some of them are on loan.“We’ve never had a squad of 35, 40, 45 players. So many other clubs, they have 45 players in their list.“We just don’t have that size at the moment. We have had to do so much in the last few years and that’s where we are.“So we’re going to have to evolve there as well and have more and  more players from the academy.“And the ones that are here need to be fitter longer. We need to be on our toes.”Arteta warns stars against firing up ToonBy Jordan DaviesMIKEL ARTETA wants Arsenal to go “full gas” tonight and seal a spot  at Wembley.But the Gunners boss urged his stars NOT to fire up  a  raucous St James’ Park crowd.Arteta’s side face a daunting task trying to overturn Newcastle’s 2-0 lead from the first leg of this Carabao Cup semi-final.And the Spaniard wants his players to stay calm — three days after Myles Lewis-Skelly and Gabriel taunted Erling Haaland during a 5-1 win over Manchester City.Asked about keeping emotions in check, Arteta said: “We talk about those things and  have to understand that each ground is different.“Playing home or away is very different. Their attitude, what they celebrate and what they don’t, is really very different up north as well to here in London.“It’s part of the context of the game. They’re a very difficult team to play.”Arteta learned how riling up fans can change a game — once clashing with Jurgen Klopp at Anfield and helping inspire Liverpool to a 4-0 win over Arsenal  in 2021.He has bad experiences  of St James’, losing his last two visits there 1-0, including a controversial clash in November 2023 that saw the Spaniard charged for his comments towards officials.Goals from Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon helped the Toon sink Arteta’s men in the first leg  on January 5.But Arsenal have won four games on the spin, scoring 11, and are looking forward to a mid-season Dubai break after tonight’s clash.Arteta explained: “When you compare the emotional state of the team  after the defeat to Newcastle and how we are today, it’s so different.“We come from some  very strong performances and great wins, especially the last one  against Man City. So it is momentum.“Next stop is a Wembley final so we know how big that is and you can feel it.“We have a break after this game as well.“So it’s the moment to go full gas and try to approach it in a way  we believe is  best  to win that final.”Left-back Lewis-Skelly, 18, is likely to be thrown into another battle from the off after netting his first senior goal against City on Sunday.Fellow academy kid Ethan Nwaneri, 17 — who scored against Pep Guardiola’s men as well — is also in with a chance of starting tonight.Arteta added: “It’s about how they compete, not just how they play. In order to be very emotional, very stable, you have to be composed and confident in yourself.“They will try to expose you as well. But those boys have gone through these challenges.“The bigger the game got, the better they became, which is not  so easy to do.”Following the resignation of Edu in November, Arsenal have relied on inexperienced interim sporting director Jason Ayto to negotiate deals, alongside Arteta, managing director Richard Garlick and head of recruitment James Ellis.Arteta revealed the club will make a decision on who takes up the  post permanently “relatively quickly”.He explained: “When you try your best and you do things with the right process, and see the people that we all share the same intentions and wills, and after you don’t achieve it, for sure there are things to learn from it. There always are.“Jason and the team have done a really good job. But then it’s the transfer market — and it’s complicated.“But you have to move on. Now I focus on the numbers that we have and just how to maximise them. It’s remarkable what the team have done so far.“There are times when we have only had 13 players out there training — that’s just super, super low.“So I’m expecting when the players who are not fit return we’re going to be better.”Arsenal player ratings vs Man CityARSENAL stunned Man City 5-1 at the Emirates on Sunday evening.It was an incredible result against their rivals of recent years.Here, we take a look at how the Gunners rated…David Raya – 7/10Had very little to do in the first half but made a brilliant save in the 22nd minute to deny a goalbound header from Josko Gvardiol. Made another stunning save two minutes from the half-time interval, stopping a deflected Savinho shot from close range. Powerless to stop Erling Haaland’s 55th-minute header from briefly levelling the scores.Jurrien Timber – 6Didn’t offer his usual attacking threat going forward but was solid defensively. Picked up a pointless yellow breaking up a harmless counter-attack in the 24th minute. Almost scored late in the second half.William Saliba – 5Didn’t have much to do in the first half but won all his aerial battles in the first 45 minutes. Marshalled the defence well early in the second period but was embarrassingly outjumped and outmuscled by Haaland for City’s equaliser – a major flaw of his that continues to be exposed.Gabriel Magalhaes – 6Like his defensive partner, he was seldom called into action in the first half. Dominant in the air in his battles with Haaland, who he trolled after Odegaard’s goal.Myles Lewis-Skelly – 8Continues to endear himself to the Emirates faithful with composure and tenacity beyond his years as he brilliantly floated between left back and midfield. Put real daylight between the two sides with a thumping finish just after the hour mark. This young lad is a real bright prospect for both the Gunners and England.His trolling of Haaland by copying the Norwegian’s ‘Lotus’ celebration went down a storm with fans.Thomas Partey – 7Steady in the heart of midfield and broke up play well when required. Fired the Gunners back into the lead in the 57th minute with a deflected shot from outside the box.Martin Odegaard – 7Was in the right place at the right time to benefit from the aftermath of an uncharacteristic Manuel Akanji error and break the deadlock. Was at the heart of everything good the north Londoners did going forward.Declan Rice – 6Combative, as always, in the middle of the park and played a role in the home side taking the lead, teeing up Havertz who squared the ball to Odegaard.Leandro Trossard – 6Was particularly lively on the left in the first half, giving Matheus Nunes a real run for his money. His end product, however, wasn’t the best.Gabriel Martinelli – 6Lively on the right wing in the early goings. Found the back of the net in the fifth minute after some beautiful play from Odegaard but was needlessly offside. Forced a good save out of Ortega with a rasping effort in the 68th minute.Kai Havertz – 6Lively early doors, testing Stefan Ortega with a tame shot in the first minute. Teed up Odegaard for a tap in a few moments later. Missed a golden opportunity to double the lead in the 25th minute, dragging the ball wide with the goal at his absolute mercy. Made amends for his howler by finishing an even harder chance in the 76th minute. He well and truly needed that as he looked absolutely devoid of confidence.SUBSEthan Nwaneri – 83 (on for Trossard) – 7Put the cherry on top of the cake with an outrageous effort in second-half stoppage time.Mikel Merino – 83 (on for Odegaard) – 5Raheem Sterling – 89 (on for Kai Havertz ) – N/ARiccardo Calafiori 89 (on for Lewis-Skelly) – N/ARead more on all the latest Arsenal news.Forward Jesus’ major knee operation will potentially keep him out for the rest of 2025, while Gunners talisman Saka is targeting a March return.So Arteta must rely solely on Havertz to deliver the goods for the rest of the campaign.Havertz boasts 15 goals in  all competitions so far — a career best in England — and has started 29 of Arsenal’s 37 games this term.If he got injured, it would be a hammer blow ahead of a Champions League last-16 tie next month and as they try to close the six-point gap to Arne Slot’s Reds who also have a game in hand.Havertz scored in Sunday’s 5-1 win over Manchester City. Asked if he  could start every game until May, Arteta said: “It’s possible. “He has played a lot of football but his robustness, his availability, has been unbelievable.“Genetically, he is a powerhouse. He’s so well-built. He’s a player that anything you ask him, he is happy to do. His body just absorbs everything.READ MORE SUN STORIES“And when you see the professional side, how he lives his life, it is immaculate. “When something works, don’t touch him.”Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme – Sun Club. More

BETWEEN now and May 25, Arsenal will be relying on Kai Havertz more than they wanted to.The January transfer window was supposed to bring relief to a Gunners squad stricken by injuries in attacking areas ahead of a daunting task of catching Liverpool in the Premier League title race.Mikel Arteta did not sign a striker in the January transfer windowCredit: GettyArsenal will now rely on Kai Havertz for the remainder of the seasonCredit: GettyOllie Watkins was one option for the GunnersCredit: PAInstead, it teased, it taunted, and ultimately, it disappointed with no incomings, only flirtations, for a variety of reasons.It leaves boss Mikel Arteta praying that his one and only fit striker in Havertz stays that way until their last Prem game of the campaign away at Southampton. An undeniably huge risk.Reach the Champions League final in Munich, and the German will be required again six days later, having already started 29 of Arsenal’s 37 games in all competitions so far this term.So, what happened this month? Why has Arteta opted for nothing over something with his squad teetering on the brink of collapse?READ MORE ON FOOTBALLTHE INJURIESBukayo Saka requiring hamstring surgery just before Christmas after hobbling off during the 5-1 win at Crystal Palace on December 21 was a big blow.But the turning point of this whole window for Arsenal was Gabriel Jesus’ ACL rupture against Manchester United in the FA Cup third round on January 12 – putting him out for most of 2025.Before then, Arteta was perfectly happy to wait for Saka’s return in early March, safe in the knowledge that he had two strikers in Jesus and Havertz to carry the burden until then.But the Brazilian’s woe was the turning point. From there, Arteta and the club’s hierarchy switched to potential targets, but it is fair to suggest they were already playing catch-up.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSSUMMER PLANSWith time running out, Arteta revealed on several occasions that plans for the summer may have to be brought forward in order to bring in the right man in January.That came with complications. Tens of millions would be added on to any summer target they wanted to bring in six months early by selling clubs. Mikel Arteta enjoyed every minute of Arsenal’s thrashing of Man City The Arsenal manager also suggested he had been given “no guarantees” that their summer kitty would not be impacted by a winter splurge.As a result, it would not be worth spending money on a short-term “body” for the sake of it that would hamper what they wanted to accomplish in the off-season.With around £50m already put aside to bring in Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi – due to expiring contracts for Jorginho and Thomas Partey – there was not a lot of wriggle room, especially having passed on selling the likes of Kieran Tierney and Oleksandr Zinchenko this month.And then there was the added blow of Jesus’ injury – a player Arsenal potentially could have sold in the summer to offload his high wages for a replacement, but who now is likely out until Christmas.The decision was made to be financially prudent, especially with a domestic loan out of the question following temporary summer deals for Bournemouth’s Neto and Chelsea’s Raheem Sterling.Come the summer, in Arsenal’s grand plan, they will now have options and financial flexibility when it comes to a new No9.MISSING EDUEdu left Arsenal for Nottingham ForestCredit: ReutersThis window was always going to be tough, especially without the man who had masterminded and pushed through so many of the club’s most important deals over the past few years.Edu resigned as sporting director on November 4 – a huge blow to Arsenal’s chances of recruiting in January, such was his aura and smooth-talking nature in meetings with players and agents.It also came just days before a crucial recruitment meeting in LA with owners Stan and Jose Kroenke.His No2 Jason Ayto stepped in as interim sporting director, with the club convinced they could muddle through without Edu, instead relying on a leadership team of Arteta, managing director Richard Garlick and executive vice-chair Tim Lewis.This appears to have backfired, with Arsenal falling short in this window when it came to timing and decision-making, while Ayto’s lack of experience and market nous was evident.Edu’s replacement will be ready for the summer, an appointment that cannot come soon enough.TOO LONG ON BIG TARGETSBenjamin Sesko was one of Arsenal’s big targetsCredit: ReutersArsenal were prepared for the possibility of needing a striker. The issue came in deciding how far to push and when to step back.The case of Alexander Isak was simple. Arsenal and Arteta highly rate the player, but there was thought to be zero chance Newcastle would let the Swedish star go, while their transfer valuation of over £100m was steep even for a summer bid, let alone January.But in Benjamin Sesko, it can be argued that Arsenal spent too long deciding whether to stick or twist. The Slovenian striker – rated at around £60m – is one they have targeted for the summer.Sesko, 21, has a gentleman’s agreement with Red Bull Leipzig that he can depart at the end of the season, having missed the chance to join Arsenal last term after signing a new long-term contract.Arsenal explored signing him this month, but realised Leipzig were incredibly unwilling given their own top four Bundesliga push, as well as demanding around £80m to even consider it.By the time Arsenal accepted defeat, it was late January, leaving them with limited options elsewhere.It must also be pointed out that Arsenal have spent time focusing on other positions for the future, including trying to convince Rosenberg midfield sensation Sverre Nypan, 18, to choose North London instead of Spanish side Girona – a deal that is not yet tied up.THE WATKINS TEASEArsenal saw a bid turned down for Ollie WatkinsCredit: PAArteta often spoke of being prepared with a list of targets, and deviating from those with a last-gasp bid on someone out of the blue would show they were becoming desperate.But when Arsenal were made aware of Aston Villa’s openness to sell Ollie Watkins, 29, halfway through January, a £45m approach was made nine days later.It was quickly shot down by Villa. They wanted £60m, while those in North London saw that as too hefty for a player turning 30 this year.It was hoped that Villa’s PSR worries would see them buckle, only for Jhon Duran to be sold to Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr for a fee that could hit £71m.How aware Arsenal were of Duran’s future when approaching Watkins is unknown, but perhaps something the club – including Ayto – should have considered when spending valuable time on the negotiations.Desperation also came into play when Alvaro Morata’s name came up very late in the day, only for Galatasaray to show more conviction for the 32-year-old from AC Milan.NWANERI’S EMERGENCEEthan Nwaneri can fill the void left by the injured Bukayo SakaCredit: GettyArteta has been searching for a Saka replacement on the right wing for several weeks now, going through his options one by one to find the best solution.Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard and Raheem Sterling were all tested, but it seems Ethan Nwaneri has proven to the Arsenal boss why he doesn’t need to splash the cash just yet.Since the turn of the new year, the 17-year-old midfielder has scored twice in the Prem – including a curling beauty in the 5-1 demolition of Manchester City – and once in the Champions League.READ MORE SUN STORIESAll three goals have come off the right – an invaluable option to have, one that Arteta could not have predicted he would possess given Nwaneri’s inexperience and youthfulness.Who knows, the injuries to Saka and Jesus may well be the making of Nwaneri in an Arsenal shirt, and he has not cost the club a penny. 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