Kai Havertz’s winner exposed Arsenal’s most dangerous weapon

One of the key themes of Mikel Arteta's Arsenal reign has been correcting issues made in previous campaigns. Following the first title push in 2022/23, the 4-1 hammering at the Etihad crystallised that this team lacked physicality, so they signed Jurriën Timber, Declan Rice and Kai Havertz.

Last season was substantially derailed by a lack of depth, hence why Arteta added plenty of options to his squad in the summer, with eight first-team figures arriving. Well, this could prove to be the Gunners' greatest strength as we enter the home straight of the season. On Tuesday night, they claimed a crucial 1-0 victory over Sporting CP. The stoppage time winner at Estádio José Alvalade saw Gabriel Martinelli play the ball through for Havertz to slot home, the pair doing so having both come off the bench.

As noted by Harvey Downes of Opta, this is the ninth time an Arsenal substitute has assisted another substitute for a goal this season, with Martinelli involved in six of them.

Arsenal goals 2025/26 scored and assisted by substitutes

• 16 September. Athletic Club 0-2 Arsenal. Goal - Gabriel Martinelli. Assist - Leandro Trossard.

• 16 September. Athletic Club 0-2 Arsenal. Goal - Leandro Trossard. Assist - Gabriel Martinelli.

• 21 September. Arsenal 1-1 Manchester City. Goal - Gabriel Martinelli. Assist - Eberechi Eze.

• 26 November. Arsenal 3-1 Bayern Munich. Goal - Noni Madueke. Assist - Riccardo Calafiori.

• 31 January. Leeds United 0-4 Arsenal. Goal - Gabriel Jesus. Assist - Martin Ødegaard.

• 7 February. Arsenal 3-0 Sunderland. Goal - Viktor Gyökeres. Assist - Gabriel Martinelli.

• 11 March. Bayer Leverkusen 1-1 Arsenal. Goal - Kai Havertz. Assist - Noni Madueke.

• 14 March. Arsenal 2-0 Everton. Goal - Viktor Gyökeres. Assist - Piero Hincapié.

• 14 March. Arsenal 2-0 Everton. Goal - Max Dowman. Assist - Gabriel Martinelli.

• 7 April: Sporting 0-1 Arsenal. Goal - Kai Havertz. Assist - Gabriel Martinelli.

As noted, five of these nine goals have come in the Champions League, including both during the 2-0 victory over Athletic at San Mamés in September; Martinelli and Leandro Trossard the deadly partnership that night. This was similarly the case during Arsenal's most-recent league outing, with both late goals to defeat Everton seeing by four different substitutes combine.

This strength off the bench might just be Arteta's most powerful weapon. According to Opta, across all 96 clubs in Europe's top five leagues, Arsenal rank first when it comes to goal involvements by substitutes with 38 in all competitions, scoring 24 goals and racking up 14 such assists.

Most goal involvements by substitutes in big 5 league + UCL 2025/26

In this season's Champions League, Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain are level on 12 when it comes to the most goal involvements from substitutes, two ahead of PSV Eindhoven and Sporting CP. The Gunners ranks first for this metric in the Premier League on 21, a whopping seven more than the next most which is Brighton, albeit they are below Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Celta Vigo, Monaco and Borussia Dortmund when one incorporates all of Europe's big five leagues.

Nevertheless, with potentially 11 games remaining this season, hopefully culminating in a Champions League Final at the Puskás Aréna, every player will be vital. In the five-sub era, never before has football been more of a squad game, which might help Arteta land the biggest prizes.