Manchester United legend Gary Neville has heaped praise on Arsenal ace Kai Havertz, likening him to former Liverpool center-forward Roberto Firmino. According to Neville, Havertz is as selfless as Firmino was at Liverpool, doing whatever is necessary to help his team.
Kai Havertz Was Instrumental As Arsenal Beat Manchester United
Premier League aspirants Arsenal secured a 1-0 victory over Manchester United on Sunday evening, which allowed them to maintain their provisional lead over Manchester City at the top of the league standings. Leandro Trossard scored the only goal of the game in the 20th minute, but it was Havertz who masterminded it.
Ben White chipped the ball toward the German from deep, allowing him to cut into the box from the right side. He dribbled right up to Jonny Evans before using his quick feet to open up a yard in front of the defender and send a low cross into the area. Trossard barged into the area to tap it in from close range. Over the course of the game, Havertz also created two chances, made three recoveries, and won eight duels.
Havertz has so far played in 36 Premier League matches for Arsenal, scoring 12 times and claiming seven assists.
Gary Neville Likens Kai Havertz To Roberto Firmino
Speaking on Sky Sports after the game against Manchester United, Neville said Havertz had become an integral player for the Gunners and likened his contributions to that of Liverpool legend Firmino.
The ex-Premier League star said (via The Daily Mail):
“Havertz is doing a similar thing to what [Roberto] Firmino did at Liverpool. He drops in, he links the play, he provides a goal threat. But he’s subservient to the team, he’ll do whatever the team needs during a game.
“Remember for large parts of this season there were large question marks over Havertz, but he’s become a really important figure.”
He concluded by adding:
“I used to think that Firmino was a wonderful player for Liverpool. [Sadio] Mane and [Mohamed] Salah used to get all the main plaudits and the credit.
“And that’s right, but I always used to mention Firmino because of the way he played, connecting midfield with the attack. Havertz is doing something similar.”
Before leaving for Al-Ahli last summer, Firmino played 362 games for the Reds in all competitions, scoring 111 times and providing 75 assists. His exploits helped Liverpool to one Premier League title, one UEFA Champions League, and one FA Cup, amongst other honors.
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