Martin Odegaard injury update after Arsenal’s defeat against Aston Villa

Arsenal lost 2-0 against Aston Villa at the Emirates in the Premier League on Sunday, April 14. It was a huge blow to their title aspirations as they slipped to second place and sit two points behind leaders Manchester City.

It was a tight game for long periods on Sunday, with both sides having multiple opportunities to score. Aston Villa hit the post through Ollie Watkins in the first half and the crossbar via Youri Tielemans in the second.

Most of Arsenal’s good attacking play came through their skipper Martin Odegaard. The Norwegian midfielder completed 38/44 passes, made two key passes, won 5/9 duels, and helped create multiple chances, especially in the first half.

However, manager Mikel Arteta surprisingly subbed him off in the 79^th minute and replaced him with Emile Smith Rowe. When asked about the substitution, the Spaniard said that Odegaard had felt something. He said:

“Because he was feeling something.”

It was one of the moves that arguably impacted Arsenal as they crumbled in the final 10 minutes of the game. Leon Bailey gave Aston Villa the lead in the 84^th minute as a Lucas Digne cross found him on the far post. Ollie Watkins then got on the end of a long ball from Youri Tielemans and brushed off Smith Rowe’s challenge to chip it past goalkeeper David Raya.

A win would’ve seen Arsenal go back to the top of the table, with Liverpool losing 1-0 against Crystal Palace earlier in the day. However, both sides now sit two points behind Manchester City. With just six games remaining, the title is in City’s hands as of now.

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Arsenal skipper Martin Odegaard’s journey so far

Martin Ødegaard has been one of the key figures in Arsenal’s resurgence in recent years. The 25-year-old attacking midfielder came through Norwegian side Stromsgodset’s academy before joining Real Madrid Castilla in 2015.

He spent most of his time on loan at the likes of Vitesse and Heerenveen and could only make 11 senior appearances for Real Madrid. He then joined the Gunners on loan in January 2021. His impressive performances saw Arsenal sign him permanently for around €35 million that summer.

Odegaard was then named captain ahead of the 2022-23 season after the departure of Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. So far, the Norwegian has made 146 appearances for Arsenal, scoring 34 goals and providing 21 assists.

The Gunners will next face Bayern Munich at Allianz Arena in the Champions League quarter-final second leg and will hope Odegaard is fit for the clash. They drew 2-2 in the first leg last week.