Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has suffered another injury setback during their 3-0 Premier League win against Nottingham Forest at the Emirates. The Norwegian midfielder was forced off after just 18 minutes into the game. This raises serious concern ahead of the Gunners’ upcoming Champions League opener against Athletic Club.
Odegaard appeared to land awkwardly on his shoulder after he collided with Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White and Jurrien Timber early in the first half. Despite initially trying to continue, the 26-year-old signaled that he could not go on at 18th minute.
He was then replaced by youngster Ethan Nwaneri. Despite losing their skipper early, Arsenal cruised to a comfortable win. It was courtesy of a brace from Martin Zubimendi and a fourth goal in as many games for Viktor Gyokeres.
Speaking after the match, during the post-match press conference, Mikel Arteta admitted that the situation was frustrating given Odegaard’s busy international schedule. He said, “I think it is the same shoulder that he hurt last time. He was too uncomfortable to continue.”
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He added, “He is going to do everything to be ready for Tuesday, I guarantee you that, but I don’t know [if he will be ready].” This was the second shoulder issue for the Arsenal skipper in just a few weeks. He had previously sustained a similar injury.
It was during the Gunners’ 5-0 win over Leeds in August. This saw him miss the following clash with Liverpool. While Odegaard’s long-term availability remains unclear, Arteta stressed that surgery is unlikely. Talking to the media, he said:
“No, I don’t think that. I’m not an expert but they [the doctors] weren’t concerned at that level at all. The last time in a few days he was able to manage the pain. I don’t know the extent of today’s injury but hopefully [he’ll be okay].”
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The manager may now be forced into tactical adjustments if his captain cannot feature against Athletic Club or Manchester City. Possible solutions include giving Nwaneri a central role, shifting Mikel Merino deeper, or experimenting with Eberechi Eze as a creative option. Even though Odegaard is irreplaceable, Arsenal’s strong midfield depth could help cushion the blow.
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