Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has hailed Martin Odegaard’s performance during the Gunners’ commanding 3-0 Champions League victory over Dinamo Zagreb on Wednesday.
The win at the Emirates Stadium moved Arsenal closer to securing a spot in the tournament’s last 16.
Goals from Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, and a stoppage-time strike from captain Odegaard highlighted a strong team effort. Arteta, however, chose to single out the Norwegian midfielder, who faced criticism earlier in the week, for his decisive contribution.
“The goal from Martin [Odegaard] was really good; he really needed that,” Arteta shared with TNT Sports. “You could see by the way he celebrated that he had that hunger and desire.”
Odegaard’s emphatic performance comes in response to scrutiny from former player and pundit Jamie Carragher, who had urged the Arsenal star to take on a braver approach in attacking situations.
After the match, Odegaard addressed the pressure on himself and teammate Declan Rice to deliver offensively. “We’re always being pushed to improve,” he said. “I haven’t been good enough in that aspect this season. Finally got a goal today, so that was good, and we’ve spoken a lot about being in the right areas to attack space.”
With Wednesday’s success in the Champions League, Arteta’s focus now shifts to the domestic league. The Gunners face a challenging schedule, starting with a Premier League clash against Wolves on Saturday.
Arteta emphasized the importance of the upcoming fixtures: “It’s a crucial month. We have nine games in this period—a tough stretch. Today’s win was great, but now we have Wolves, Girona, and Manchester City back-to-back. It’s game by game, ensuring we recover and go again.”
Odegaard’s inspiring performance couldn’t come at a better time, with Arsenal eyeing progress in Europe and maintaining their Premier League title challenge.
Stay tuned as the Gunners navigate a high-stakes period, aiming to build on their success and push for glory.