Mikel Arteta has been praising one of his best players in his latest press conference ahead of Arsenal’s clash with Fulham.
The Gunners face a crucial clash with their London counterparts as they attempt to close the 12-point gap on Liverpool with just nine games remaining.
Arteta has revealed that Bukayo Saka is back from injury having spent around three months on the sidelines with a hamstring injury.
But another of his top stars looks set to hand him a boost after hitting top form away on international duty and now Arteta will hope he can continue that form into the game against Fulham.
Mikel Arteta praises the ‘incredible’ Martin Odegaard
Mikel Arteta has labelled Martin Odegaard as ‘incredible’ in his latest press conference and hailed the way the Norweigen ‘defines our way of playing’.
Odegaard was in brilliant form for Norway over the recent international break as the midfielder managed four assists in two matches.
But despite being so highly rated by his manager, Odegaard, who cost Arsenal £30m, has faced criticism from some supporters for his lack of impact in certain matches.
When asked about what Odegraard brings to his team, Arteta told the media: “I need a lot of time to do that.
“The captain is one of the most important players, his consistency levels are incredible and he’s a player that defines our way of playing. That’s what I would call it,” he added.
Martin Odegaard’s recent Arsenal stats
In fairness, Odegaard’s numbers are down quite considerably over recent weeks for the Gunners having produced just three assists in his last eight appearances.
| Match | Result | G/A |
| Newcastle United | 2-0 L | 0 |
| Leicester City | 0-2 W | 0 |
| West Ham | 0-1 L | 0 |
| Nottingham Forest | 0-0 D | 0 |
| PSV Eindhoven | 1-7 W | 2 |
| Manchester United | 1-1 D | 0 |
| PSV Eindhoven | 2-2 D | 0 |
| Chelsea | 1-0 W | 1 |
But with the likes of Saka and Gabriel Martinelli back in the team, he should be able to have better players to create chances for and hopefully help elevate his game, too.
Odegaard was superb for Norway during the recent international break and that should have isgncnlty boosted his confidence for the final stretch of the season.
