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Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard will have hopes of lifting the Premier League title in May
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has lauded head coach Mikel Arteta as the Norwegian talked up the Gunners boss for his work rate and standards.
Arteta has guided the North London club to the summit of English football once again, having run Manchester City and Liverpool agonisingly close in the last couple of years. This year poses as the best opportunity for the Spaniard to guide Arsenal back to the summit of English football.
Odegaard has been suffering from a recurring knee injury and has faced repeated spells out of the squad during their rise to take a nine-point lead at the top of the Premier League.
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The 27-year-old highlighted Arteta's influence in making the move to the Premier League and emphasised why the decision has proved to be the right one.
He told Soccer Bible: "He [Arteta] was one of the main reasons I joined. His work is incredible and I’ve learned so much from him.
"The standards are just so high. He always wants the best for everyone.
"It’s always been important to keep that creative side to my game. I’m someone who likes to play with freedom and I’m at my best when I have that flow to my game.
"The tactics are really important, but you always need to feel the game and go with your instincts when the moment is right."
Arsenal return to competitive action with a trip to Championship playoff contenders Southampton on Saturday (8pm). It will be their first taste of football since their Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City on the eve of the international break.
They will be looking to overcome a potential banana skin against the Saints and keep their hopes of a treble alive against the second-tier club.
Two of their recent Premier League rivals, Manchester City and Liverpool, will be going head to head in the early kick-off, pushing for a place in the FA Cup semi-final.
They then travel to Portugal, with Viktor Gyokeres coming up against his former club in Sporting CP in their Champions League first leg.
Odegaard has yet to return to the bench since aggravating his knee problem. There will be hopes that he can return for the run-in and with the final international break out of the way, the battle for the Premier League title will continue to increase.
Odegaard said: “You have to stay focused on what you can control. Keep working, keep improving, and trust the people around you.”
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