Martin Odegaard leaps to defence of Man City rival Erling Haaland over ‘stay humble’ chaos ahead of huge Arsenal clash

TO Martin Odegaard, Erling Haaland is conscionable a mate successful a WhatsApp group. 

But the past clip Arsenal met Manchester City, the Etihad extremity instrumentality was the Viking villain successful a post-match flare-up which ignited the rivalry betwixt the 2 clubs. 

Haaland smacked a shot into the backmost of Arsenal defender Gabriel’s head, past told Mikel Arteta to ‘stay humble’ - successful a jibe which backfired arsenic City slumped.  

That clash successful September was pulsating - John Stones netting a 98th-minute equaliser aft ten-man Arsenal had clung doggedly to their lead, withstanding TWENTY-SEVEN erstwhile City shots successful an bonzer second-half. 

It was besides the lucifer successful which Rodri sustained the genu wounded which has sidelined him ever since. 

And erstwhile they conscionable again astatine the Emirates connected Sunday, the teams who contested the rubric race successful the past 2 seasons, are some staring up astatine runaway leaders Liverpool. 

Odegaard, who missed that 2-2 Etihad gully done injury, admits helium enjoys the ‘heat’ of the rivalry with City. 

Yet helium claims determination is nary lingering animosity with Haaland - his team-mate successful Norway’s nationalist team. 

“We are bully friends”, said Odegaard, “Him and a fewer of the different boys from the nationalist team, we person a small radical chat, truthful we talk each present and past - not astir football, conscionable astir random things. 

“We haven’t spoken astir the game, but helium is simply a bully friend, truthful I talk to him.”

Was Odegaard shocked by his mate’s actions erstwhile it each kicked disconnected aft the last whistle astatine the Etihad 4 months ago? 

“No, successful games similar this, the emotions are truthful precocious and the adrenaline is there,” said Odegaard.

“That’s thing that tin hap connected the transportation and past erstwhile you locomotion disconnected the pitch, past you are done with it. 

“After the past 2 seasons, we’ve been warring against each different for the rubric truthful that’s a earthy thing. 

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“I deliberation that City and america person improved 1 another. The full league is truthful competitory but with Man City, we person been warring with them for the rubric for a fewer years and it makes you better. It has to get the champion retired of you.

“Growing up I ever watched the Premier League with friends. There were immoderate large ones - the North London Derby, the Manchester Derby and the Liverpool Derby. So it’s nice that we are present portion of these large games, erstwhile you play with tons astatine stake.”

City hunted down Arsenal 2 seasons ago, past held disconnected their situation for the rubric past term.

But Haaland’s ‘stay humble’ taunt was thrown backmost successful his look erstwhile City imploded during an astonishing tally of 9 defeats successful 12 matches successful each competitions earlier Christmas. 

City are present unbeaten successful six league games and, portion a 5th consecutive rubric is surely retired of reach, Odegaard is wary of their threat.  

He said: “A batch of radical would beryllium amazed (by City’s slump) but determination is inactive a agelong mode to go. We person seen them earlier ending the play truly well. 

“We cognize the prime they have. It’s a apical team, apical players and it is going to beryllium a large fight.”

Odegaard, 26, claims Arsenal inactive haven’t reached top gear this play and believes they stay susceptible of winning a trophy. 

He said: “We’re successful a bully presumption but inactive I consciousness we person different cogwheel and hopefully we tin deed that apical signifier present until the extremity of the season.

“We’re 2nd successful the league, we’ve got everything to play for, we finished successful the apical 8 successful the Champions League. We person to look guardant and propulsion for the goals to triumph the large trophies.

“When you’ve been truthful close, you get adjacent much hungry, you get adjacent much determined to bash it, particularly past twelvemonth erstwhile we were determination connected the past time and truly could consciousness it was that close.” 

Odegaard, who became a begetter for the archetypal clip erstwhile woman Helene gave commencement to a lad 2 months ago, admits it is his imagination to assistance the Premier League trophy arsenic captain.

He said: “That is the large extremity and I person been dreaming astir this since I was a young kid - to triumph 1 of the large trophies and particularly the Premier League was ever thing peculiar increasing up truthful this would beryllium the biggest dream.”

Yet helium is hopeless to amended his ain goalscoring signifier - having netted conscionable erstwhile successful the league this term.

Odegaard said: “It’s thing that I haven’t been bully capable astatine this season. 

“I consciousness similar I’ve been successful capable situations and created a batch for others but I haven’t been objective capable with the finishing. So that’s thing that I truly privation to measurement up.”