Arsenal's Martin Odegaard celebrates after the match
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is unsure whether Martin Odegaard will be available to feature against Manchester United this afternoon.
The Lowdown: Odegaard’s fine start
Hailed as “pure class” by Michael Owen recently, the Norwegian has enjoyed a brilliant start to the campaign. The Arsenal captain has started every game so far, scoring three times.
He has helped the Gunners to a 100% start in the Premier League, but after going off late in the win against Aston Villa on Wednesday, it looks as if he could now miss his first game of the season.
The Latest: Arteta’s claim
Arteta said in his pre-match press conference that he is uncertain whether Odegaard would feature at Old Trafford following an issue in midweek.
The Gunners boss appeared to hint that the attacking midfielder has been unable to train, although Samuel Luckhurst has since stated that the 23-year-old has travelled with the squad.
Where will United finish this season?
Top 4
5th-7th
8th or lower
The Verdict: Potential boost for Ten Hag
Even though Odegaard has travelled, that doesn’t guarantee that he’ll be starting today. If he doesn’t, it could be a big boost for Erik ten Hag’s side.
The 23-year-old has been virtually an ever-present figure so far and has been Arsenal’s third-best performing player with a WhoScored match rating of 7.65/10.
That’s a significantly higher rating than any United player in the opening five games, so all eyes will be on the team sheet this afternoon, looking to see if Odegaard is involved.
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