Is Martin Odegaard fit to face Manchester City? Arsenal captain suffers from ankle 'injury' ahead of big Etihad clash
Martin Odegaard has been ruled out of Arsenal's Premier League clash with Manchester City this weekend.
After suffering an ankle injury during an international match with Norway, the The physical condition of the Gunners captain It has been a Source of deep concern among fans.
Odegaard He limped out of his country's 2-1 victory over Austria last week with an injury that his coach Ola Solbakken admitted looked serious.
Norway's team doctor Ola Sand said the 25-year-old would be out of action for several weeks, but Mikel Arteta He has remained silent until now.
The Arsenal manager has rejected several attempts to obtain conclusive updates on his captain, who missed the match. Sunday's victory in the North London derby against Tottenham.
Odegaard met with a specialist to assess the severity of his injury, and it's not good news.
He has been ruled out of the club's opening Champions League game against Atalanta and it looks like he'll be staying on the sidelines for a while.
Is Odegaard fit to face Manchester City?
The playmaker is now guaranteed to miss the trip to the Etihad.
This is because Arteta has confirmed that the player has suffered a serious injury.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Atalanta matchHe said: “After the latest tests, the results showed that he has some damage, especially in one of the ankle ligaments.
“It's a pretty significant thing, so we're going to miss it for a while.
“He's our captain. He's been one of the biggest and best players on our team. Our identity is very much tied to how he plays and how he behaves.”
“It's a great test for the team to see how much we can show a different side.”
Asked how long Arsenal would be without their captain, Arteta said: “Hopefully not months, but we'll see.”
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The initial timetable presented by Norway's medical team indicated that Odegaard might not return until after the October international break.
However, after hearing Arteta's comments, the Gunners could be without their star player for much longer.
The former real Madrid young star He needed a strategically placed ball to hide his injured ankle. for Tuesday's official team photo shoot.
Odegaard is a permanent starter on the right side of a midfield three in his preferred 4-3-3 formation when fit.
Leandro Trossard He filled that role against the Spurs and could do so on Sunday, with teenager Ethan Nwaneri a possible wild-card option.
Arteta could also opt to keep Jorginho in midfield instead of Odegaard, with Declan Rice back from suspension.
