Arsenal star labelled ‘most important player in the Premier League’

Arsenal skipper Martin Odegaard has been labelled ‘the astir important subordinate successful the Premier League’ by erstwhile Gunners centre-back Martin Keown.

Having missed 12 games successful each competitions with an ankle injury, Odegaard watched his broadside descent disappointing defeats against Bournemouth and Newcastle arsenic they fell distant from high-flying Liverpool astatine the apical of the table.

But the midfielder has present returned astatine a important clip for Arsenal and has helped instantly to crook astir his side’s fortunes.

Odegaard already has 2 assists successful his archetypal 3 starts backmost successful the broadside and has played a cardinal relation successful helping Mikel Arteta’s broadside to assertion back-to-back wins for the archetypal clip since aboriginal October.

Reflecting connected Arsenal’s topsy-turvy commencement to the season, erstwhile defender Keown reckons that their mixed signifier during Odegaard’s lack shows that the 25-year-old is the astir important subordinate successful the division.

‘He’s created 102 chances – much than anyone successful the Premier League – and 41 times he’s retrieved the shot successful the last 3rd truthful successful and retired of possession, I’m struggling to deliberation of a much important subordinate successful the Premier League,’ helium told talkSPORT.

‘It’s a shame to accidental that it’s astir 1 subordinate but we could look astatine Man City and accidental that nary Rodri has truly created this spiralling effect truthful sometimes players are irreplaceable and Odegaard has been that for Arsenal.

‘It becomes evident erstwhile he’s not available. It was precise important the creativity that helium created – it would beryllium similar taking Cole Palmer retired of the Chelsea squad erstwhile you see however good helium did.

Asked astir Odegaard’s instant interaction aft specified a lengthy layoff, Keown added: ‘To travel backmost aft six weeks retired and deed the crushed moving successful the mode that helium did shows however he’s applied himself erstwhile he’s been out. We’d go predictable successful beforehand of goal.’

Arsenal brag Arteta was besides keen to motion his captain’s praises arsenic his broadside look to adjacent the spread to Liverpool with a triumph implicit West Ham connected Saturday.

‘With the mode helium prepares himself and however overmuch enactment helium puts successful with the physios and aesculapian section to get successful the champion imaginable information to look the play and value of the play that we are successful and to deed the crushed moving – helium has been exceptional since the Chelsea crippled and helium has been precise accordant the past 3 games,’ the Spaniard said.

‘Good players that are truthful accordant and truthful reliable that tin instrumentality the crippled to a antithetic level and marque the players amended astir them, that’s a immense prime of Martin’s and helium has been missed.’

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