Arsenal latest: Martin Odegaard reacts to new role and Manuel Neuer's transfer decision

Arsenal clinched victory over Brighton despite being forced into some impromptu changes, while a certain World Cup winner reveals he once turned down the Gunners

David Raya once again shone in Arsenal's crucial victory over Brighton, but the goalkeeping role hasn't always been so secure. The Spaniard was one of several stars whose contributions stood out on Saturday as Mikel Arteta's men kept their spot atop the Premier League.

The Gunners have responded magnificently since losing at Aston Villa and are riding a five-game winning streak (including a penalty shootout victory over Crystal Palace). However, they won't have long to wait before getting a chance at avenge that defeat.

No team in the Premier League has collected more points at home this term, with Arsenal dropping just two points in front of their own fans so far this term. Football.london provides a breakdown of all the latest happenings at the Emirates as the Premier League frontrunners gear up to host Villa on Tuesday.

Odegaard praises Rice sacrifice

Arsenal's 2-1 triumph over Brighton proved even more remarkable considering the last-minute obstacles Mikel Arteta and his squad faced. The backline was hamstrung when Jurrien Timber withdrew on the eve of the encounter, then Riccardo Calafiori picked up a knock during the warm-up.

With Ben White already sidelined, Arteta was forced to think outside the box regarding his right-back options. Declan Rice admirably rose to the challenge in an unfamiliar position, earning commendation from skipper Martin Odegaard.

"It was an unbelievable performance from him [Rice]," said the Norwegian after the win. "To play right-back, probably the first time in his life, and then do it the way he did it today was unbelievable, so a really, really good performance from him.

"And that's just our team. Everyone is ready to do whatever it takes, and that [Rice's performance] was another good example of that."

The praise is particularly noteworthy considering Odegaard is well aware of the growing chorus from some fans and pundits calling for Rice to take over the captain's armband. Arsenal legend Tony Adams has been among the most vocal advocates for such a change at the beginning of this campaign.

The former Gunners defender suggested Arteta is hampering the team's progress by persisting with Odegaard as skipper. And he went as far as declaring his former club are "not going to win the league with Odegaard as captain."

Acknowledging Rice's display on Saturday, despite the underlying speculation over the armband, demonstrates the composure expected of a captain. Should any rivalry exist between the duo, Odegaard's comments suggest he has no intention of feeding into such narratives.

Neuer rejected Arsenal's advances

Bayern Munich and Germany stalwart Manuel Neuer has disclosed how he nearly penned a deal with the Gunners when Arsene Wenger was in charge. At that time, the 2014 World Cup victor was just breaking through from Schalke's academy and was relatively unknown.

It speaks volumes about Wenger's renowned youth recruitment strategy that his network spotted Neuer at such an early age. However, a crucial factor hindered the future 12-time Bundesliga winner from proceeding further with the proposal.

"After the under-19s, Koln were very interested in me, and so were Arsenal," the Germany legend revealed on At Broski. "At the time, Arsene Wenger was still the coach and spoke many languages. But I didn't want to go abroad because I knew how difficult it is as a young goalkeeper."

Fast-forward to the present day, and Neuer has spent his entire professional career to date in Germany. The shot-stopper left Schalke for Bayern in 2011 and has since racked up 581 appearances for the Bavarian giants, securing two Champions League crowns and a pair of FIFA Club World Cup wins.

In an alternate timeline, he might have followed the path of fellow German Jens Lehmann by becoming a Gunners legend. Instead, he'll be remembered as another talented youngster spotted by Wenger and his scouting network who ultimately slipped through their fingers.