Arsenal legend Ray Parlour has slammed "fickle" critics of misfiring striker Kai Havertz, who has "done a great job" since making the high-profile £65m move from Chelsea in 2023.
The Germany international is suffering from a confidence crisis in front of goal at present, letting several golden opportunities pass him by in the Gunners' last three matches.
Havertz failed to make his mark in Wednesday's 2-1 North London derby win over Tottenham Hotspur, prior to which he was also guilty of poor showings against Manchester United in the FA Cup - missing the crucial penalty in the shootout - and Newcastle United in the EFL Cup.
The 25-year-old's profligate displays triggered a wave of sickening online abuse towards him and his family, with his wife sharing threats she had received towards the couple's unborn child in the wake of the Man United loss.
However, three-time Premier League winner Parlour has leapt to the defence of Havertz, telling Sports Mole: "In the striker position, he's done a great job for Arsenal. Everybody turned their nose up when he signed, but then suddenly he got on a great run, and then we go, 'oh, what a signing.'
Parlour: 'Arteta can get the best out of Havertz'
"People are fickle a little bit. Mikel Arteta has obviously seen something in him that he can get the best out of him. He's still a young man, he's got lots of experience playing for his country, but you can't put all the weight on someone's shoulders. You've got to have a little bit of help around him to bang the goals.
"I know Saka's out, which is a big loss. You can see they miss him quite heavily on that right-hand side. Martinelli has got to step up, people like Trossard have now got to get an opportunity. He's got to step up and give him a little bit of a hand on Odegaard as well, who's been brilliant since he's been at Arsenal."
Havertz has still managed a respectable 12 goals from 28 appearances in all competitions this season despite his recent wasteful streak, but Arteta currently has little choice but to start him up front in every game.
The Gunners lost Gabriel Jesus to a season-ending ACL injury in their FA Cup loss to Manchester United, and their only other centre-forward option is 22-year-old Nathan Butler-Oyedeji, who is yet to make his senior Arsenal debut.
Arsenal took the risk of not signing a new number nine in the summer transfer window, but Arteta has confirmed that the club are searching for attacking reinforcements in the January window following Jesus's devastating blow.
Parlour sends Arsenal stark transfer warning
© Imago
However, Parlour - who played with the likes of Ian Wright, Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry during his time at Highbury - has warned Arsenal that it will be "very hard" to find a ruthless attacker this month.
"I like Havertz, I think he's a genuine player," Parlour added. "He has a go every week, but he's not an out-and-out striker, and they know that as a club. That's why they've been probably looking to buy an out-and-out striker, because they haven't got one at the moment.
"A goalscorer who's going to be in that box, who's going to make these runs in the box. With the players they've got, they've certainly got the creativity to give a striker lots and lots of chances. But they don't have anyone who's going to put the ball in the back of the net, which is very hard to find these days."
Arsenal have long admired Sporting Lisbon's Viktor Gyokeres and Newcastle United's Alexander Isak, but moves for either attacker in January are regarded as practically impossible given the finances involved.
Instead, the Gunners are reportedly pressing ahead with a loan move for Juventus' Dusan Vlahovic, but Arteta has been warned that he has already missed out on one "perfect" signing.
Ray Parlour was speaking to Sports Mole on behalf of NetBet Sports Betting.
Ben Knapton
