Norway manager Stale Solbakken is bracing himself for some stern words from Mikel Arteta after Martin Odegaard suffered an injury while on international duty.
The Gunners’ key man limped off the pitch as Norway took down Austria in their Nations League bout, casting a shadow over his appearance for Arsenal‘s upcoming north London derby. Odegaard’s 67th-minute agony saw him clutching his ankle and needing assistance to leave the field, sparking concerns for his place in Sundays game away against Tottenham.
Odegaard’s plight might rule him out unless he pulls off a speedy recovery; with Arteta likely watching in concern as his star player hit the deck. Club managers dread these moments when their stars head off for international matchups, and Solbakken hinted at the likely frosty reaction from the Arsenal boss.
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He said: “It looked bad in the dressing room too. He didn’t have the nerve to continue. It is not certain that Arteta will call me tonight and praise me.”
Norway’s medical chief Ola Sand chimed in with his take, telling 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.”
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If Odegaard is out of the North London Derby, Arsenal might look at a tactical rejig, given the playmaker’s pivotal role. With Fabio Vieira loaned out, options like Raheem Sterling or Leandro Trossard could step up to steer the creative ship, reports the Mirror.
However, that is not the only concern for Gunners fans, with a crucial trip to face Manchester City on Sunday, September 22 also on the horizon. Arsenal lost out on winning the Premier League to City by just two points last season, having failed to beat them at the Etihad at the end of March.
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Arsenal’s international break has been less than ideal, and their resources will be tested when they face Spurs. Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori sustained a freak injury in the win over France, but fortunately, it’s not as severe as initially thought.
The Gunners will also be without summer signing Mikel Merino, who has yet to make his debut for the club since joining from Real Sociedad. The Euro 2024 winner is still a few weeks away from being available for selection.
Arteta is facing a midfield headache, with Declan Rice also missing due to suspension. The England midfielder was controversially shown a second yellow card in the draw with Brighton, a decision that left Arteta “amazed” and frustrated with what Gunners fans saw as inconsistency with the £105m man receiving a second yellow card for kicking the ball away when the opposition tried to take a free kick.