adminArsenal (England Premier Soccer League) have been dealt a potentially cataclysmic blow just six days before their derby against Tottenham as Martin Odegaard was injured on Norway duty.
The playmaker suffered an ankle injury after a slide tackle from Christoph Baumgartner and was taken off 67 minutes into Norway’s 2-1 Nations League win over Austria on Monday night.
He appeared to be in agony as he rolled on the floor and had to be aided by a physio on either side as he limped off, wincing in pain and fighting back tears.
Manchester City star Erling Haaland, who scored an 80th-minute winner, was among the team-mates to console Odegaard by patting him on the back as he hobbled away.
‘Martin Odegaard’s injury looked bad in the dressing room,’ said Norway head coach Stale Solbakken.
National team doctor Ola Sand told TV2: “He got a small ankle sprain. We will see, maybe we use ultrasound to look at it. If we are unsure, there will be an MRI tomorrow.”
Depending on the severity of the injury, it could leave Mikel Arteta with a huge midfield headache. Declan Rice is suspended for the clash after his controversial red card against Brighton while £33million summer signing Mikel Merino is also injured.
Merino suffered a fractured shoulder in his first training session, meaning Arteta could be left with Thomas Partey and Jorginho to start in midfield against Spurs. A wider injury crisis is taking shape for the Gunners, who are also bemoaning the freak injury of £42m man Riccardo Calafiori.
The left-back has left Italy’s international camp after sustaining an ankle blow when Ousmane Dembele accidentally studded him after a challenge from Alessandro Bastoni.
Arsenal sit fourth in the table after two wins and a draw while Tottenham have four points after their three matches. Beyond Spurs, they face a trip to Manchester City in the Premier League, host Atalanta in the Champions League, and encounter Bolton Wanderers in the EFL Cup.
After two seasons of coming up short to City in the league, an early-season injury emergency is the last thing Arteta needed.
“FFS he’s completely rolled his ankle, that looked painful,’ wrote one fan on X, formerly Twitter. Merino, Rice, now Odegaard. Centre mids gonna be Partey & Jorginho for the NLD,”another predicted.
“Our season might well be over,’ another said. ‘Merino, Rice, and now Odegaard. We are finished,” said one. (www.dailymail.co.uk)
Online Reporter