Arsenal fans will have to wait a little longer to see their captain, Martin Odegaard, back on the pitch. The Norwegian playmaker suffered significant ankle ligament damage while playing for his national team this month, leaving his return date uncertain.
Mikel Arteta, Arsenal’s manager, confirmed the news on Friday, saying, “We need to see the development in the next week or so, how the ankle reacts first of all, and then the staff will give me an update on the timeframe and how long he’ll be out for.” This means Odegaard will definitely miss the crucial Premier League clash against Manchester City on Sunday.
The injury news comes as a blow for Arsenal, who are looking to maintain their strong start to the season.
Meanwhile, Manchester City themselves face a potential setback. Kevin de Bruyne, the Belgian midfielder, appeared to strain himself in their Champions League match against Inter Milan on Wednesday. While Guardiola didn’t rule out his participation in the upcoming match, he admitted De Bruyne felt “a little better.” His fitness will be assessed in training on Saturday.
This adds another layer of intrigue to the already highly anticipated match between two of the Premier League’s top teams. Will both sides be missing key players? Or will they find a way to overcome these setbacks and put on a captivating display of football?
