Luton star reveals what Kai Havertz did for Arsenal ‘not picked up by cameras’

Luton Town’s Tom Lockyer explained what Arsenal star Kai Havertz kept doing on Wednesday that may not have been “picked up by the cameras”.

Lockyer – who is recovering from heart surgery having collapsed on the pitch during a Premier League match against Bournemouth in December – was working as a pundit for TNT Sports on Wednesday night as his Luton side lost 2-0 to Arsenal at the Emirates.

“It might not get picked up by the cameras…”

Martin Odegaard opened the scoring for the Gunners before a Daiki Haishoka own goal secured three points for Mikel Arteta’s side, who are engaged ina three-way race for the Premier league title with Liverpool and Manchester City, who also both won midweek.

Havertz led the line for Arsenal playing as a false nine on Wednesday, setting up Odegaard’s goal, and Lockyer was full of praise for the German international after the game, highlighting a very useful quality that he feels may have gone unnoticed.

“He’s really at home now,” Lockyer said. “The amount of times he did double movement today where he went short off [Teden] Mengi and then spun in behind, and he would have got the ball if it was played to him.

“It might not get picked up by the cameras, but they’re the sort of movements that even if he doesn’t get it, he might get the next one. Then he’ll keep going and get the next one, and eventually something will happen to him.

“When someone works as hard as that, making those selfless runs, then something will fall in the end.”

Backups took their chance

Arteta made five changes for the visit of the Hatters, including the likes of Emile Smith Rowe and Reiss Nelson while resting Declan Rice among others, and was pleased with what he saw in their first of eight scheduled fixtures in April.

“They responded really well and I’m so happy with that. It was a wonderful game,” Arteta said.

“When they get their moment, they have to take it and they certainly did today. They give me every reason (to pick them) every day.

“If we had lost the game it would’ve been because we made the changes and it’s not as simple as that. You have to do what is right, what they deserve and it’s good confidence.”

READ MORE: Smith Rowe trumps Havertz for Arsenal as Mikel Arteta handed midfield headache for title tilt