Harry Kane may not even be the best No.9 on the pitch when Arsenal take on Bayern Munich

Harry Kane might have met his match as he prepares to try lead Bayern Munich past old rivals Arsenal in the Champions League.

Kane returns to north London on Tuesday night, live on talkSPORT, as a Bayern Munich hero, scoring 38 goals in his first 36 matches for the German giants.

Bagging ten in his last eight, Arsenal’s derby day nemesis for so many years couldn’t be more ready to create fresh headaches and new headlines.

But here’s a thought…

Is he even going to be the best centre-forward on the pitch in this mouth-watering UEFA Champions League quarter-final?

Have you seen Kai Havertz of late? Wow, talk about a player reborn.

Turning it around

Hammered by so many earlier on this season for his lethargic start in Arsenal colours (and even deployed at left-back by Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann during November’s international break) the Gunners’ No.29 has proven a lot of people wrong.

Now firmly established as Mikel Arteta’s first-choice striker, inspiring a series of victories with goals, assists, and talismanic front play, there’s an argument to suggest Thomas Tuchel will be fretting more about Havertz than the hosts are about Kane.

8

The current form book, that’s seen the 24-year-old produce five goals and four assists in his last nine appearances, makes it hard to believe he was handed a ‘pity penalty’ back in September away at Bournemouth.

Two nerveless late winners against Brentford turned two points into six, and across a lengthy spell now, his overall performance levels have been genuinely outstanding.

All talk of Mikel Arteta ‘desperately needing a new striker’ have been put on the back burner.

Magic movement

Bayern Munich’s central defenders, Matthijs de Ligt and Eric Dier, will need maximum focus in front of over 60,000 baying Arsenal fans on Tuesday evening.

8

Havertz has always been an expert space seeker – somebody who sees holes early and makes brilliant runs into them – and that element of his skill set has come to the fore in 2024.

Playing for a team that suits him far better than Chelsea, surrounded by players who now understand the value he brings, the tall frontman is revelling in Arteta’s fluid style of play.

On the face of it, his goals against Brighton and Hove Albion and Newcastle United were tap-ins, but his runs in the build-up were as natural as any that Kane, or other elite strikers, would make.

His first burst was in front of his marker on each occasion, before looping around them at pace, to get on the end of low centres.

8

8

Perpetual motion

Three players always lead the way for the Gunners when it comes to distance covered. The first two names will surprise nobody, Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice, But making up the trio, week in week out, is Havertz.

His body language doesn’t always scream ‘eagerness’ but the former Bayer Leverkusen wonderkid is a seriously deceptive grafter, who regularly covers over 11km per 90 minutes.

A lot of his runs are off the ball, and eight times out of ten he won’t receive the pass.

Yet he is a forward player who will continue making those sprints, and in recent months he’s made hay from so many excellent Arsenal moves because of it.

8

At Brighton last weekend he made far more runs out of possession than anyone else.

Acting as the first line of defence alongside Odegaard, the ex-Chelsea man also presses with enthusiasm.

He has sparked many chances by provoking turnovers, and up against Bayern you can bet your last Euro he’ll be closing down Tuchel’s defenders with conviction.

Arteta has him well-drilled as a team player.

The all-rounder

One of the key differences between ‘this Arsenal’ and some of their previous sides is their ability to play in different ways, either game-to-game or within the same match.

8

Havertz, built like a target man, strong in the air, as technical as any No.10, as hardworking as your fittest central midfielder, capable of scoring and defending, is an all-round talent who supplies his manager with some of that extra tactical armoury.

For example, if there’s a spell in Tuesday night’s match where Arsenal need to go long from back to front to avoid Bayern’s press, the Germany international offers that outlet.

Depending on the game state he can stretch them with runs down the channels or stifle them by dropping back to be a false nine in a lower block.

If plan A isn’t working Arteta also has the option to slide Gabriel Jesus or Leandro Trossard into the strikers’ spot and deploy Havertz in a deeper role instead.

Made for these nights

What I said at the outset of this piece was a little bit tongue-in-cheek if I’m honest, of course Kane is the most elite striker on show.

8

However, when it comes to the value they currently add to their respective teams, I’m not joking when I say Havertz and Kane are hard to split.

He has been a revelation. Scoring a winning goal in the UEFA Champions League Final for him, Tuchel knows all about Havertz, and what makes him tick.

That’s a mild worry in some ways, but for me he’s playing at a far higher level now than he ever did at Stamford Bridge.

He likes the big stage, and certainly likes playing for ‘The Arsenal’ more than he did a Chelsea outfit, who never really knew what to do with him.

So much of the pre-match focus will be on Kane, and how he can hurt his old foes; and his incredible record means he is absolutely good enough to do just that if Arsenal drop their standards or make mistakes.

It’s my belief though, that Bayern Munich will be just as worried about the influence of Arteta’s front man at Emirates Stadium.

Ahead of their biggest European night for over a decade, it’s clear the £65million Arsenal spent on Havertz, hasn’t gone down the drain.