Arsenal have been without their captain Martin Odegaard for the past couple of games after the Norwegian midfielder suffered a significant ankle injury during the first international break of the season.
The 25-year-old sustained the injury while on international duty with Norway in a match against Austria, landing awkwardly on his left ankle. He was later seen returning to London on crutches, fuelling concerns about the extent of the injury.
Odegaard missed the North London derby last week, which Arsenal won 1-0 away from home, and
Although Arsenal have yet to provide an official timeline for Odegaard’s recovery, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has suggested that the club is concerned about him.
Fabrizio Romano: Arsenal to not rush Martin Odegaard
Speaking on CaughtOffside’s The Debrief Podcast, Romano confirmed that while the club are concerned about his injury, they hope that he is not out for too long.
He adds that the club are willing to not rush him and allow him to recover fully before he returns in order to avoid any recurring injuries in the later stages of the season.
He said:
“They are, obviously (concerned). He’s a crucial player. He’s the captain. He’s a fantastic player. So, obviously, they know this injury is a problem for them. But at the same time, they hope it’s not super long.”
“So, in this moment, in terms of medical staff, they are doing their best to have Martin back as soon as possible. For sure, we will have to be patient. It’s not something imminent. It will take weeks before we see Odegaard back to action.”
“What they always mention to me is that they absolutely want Martin to return when he’s 100% fit. They can’t accept a new injury for Martin Odegaard later in the season, when they’re going to compete, they hope, for all the main titles.”
“So Arsenal absolutely want Martin to take his time to return when he’s 100% fit. And this is going to be the mission of the staff, for sure.”
Arsenal’s dramatic 2-2 draw against Manchester City
Arsenal missed their captain against Manchester City with the match ending in a fiery 2-2 draw, with plenty of drama and controversy.
Erling Haaland opened the scoring for City, but Riccardo Calafiori equalised for the Gunners with a long-range strike. Arsenal then took the lead through Gabriel Magalhães, who eased past Kyle Walker before scoring a thumping header.
However, Arsenal’s task became difficult just before half-time when Leandro Trossard was shown a second yellow card for kicking the ball away after the whistle.
Despite being down to 10 men, Arsenal defended valiantly for the remainder of the match, frustrating City’s attackers.
Their efforts were undone in the final moments of stoppage time, with John Stones scoring from close range to rescue a point for the reigning champions.
Arsenal now shift their focus to the League Cup, where they face Bolton on Wednesday, before a Premier League clash against Leicester City on Saturday.