Mikel Arteta reveals impact Martin Odegaard's injury woes have had on Arsenal team-mates

Martin Odegaard has suffered several injury setbacks this season and Mikel Arteta has lifted the lid on the Arsenal star's mentality

Martin Odegaard's injury setbacks have been "tough" for him, but Mikel Arteta is confident the Arsenal captain can return to his best to get their Premier League title bid back on track.

Injuries have again haunted Arsenal’s season with more than 30 separate incidents of players missing matches already, closing in on a tally of 39 from the previous campaign with more than three months left to play.

Odegaard suffered what was his fourth issue of the campaign in the 1-1 draw with Brentford, overextending his knee in a collision with goalscorer Keane Lewis-Potter.

The popular playmaker faces a race to be fit for Sunday's north London derby against Tottenham, with Arteta desperate to have his skipper back fighting fit.

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“We have missed him for the biggest part of the season,” Arteta said. “The percentage of time he has been available for us has been far from ideal.

“Again, he has been part of that journey in this year to deal with a lot of injuries and with us having a lot of important players out like we have now. The team has done extremely well to maintain that level."

Odegaard has been open about the frustrations with injury that he has suffered and after coming on against Leeds to be involved in two goals, to suffer another issue to halt any momentum was a big blow.

Arteta, asked if he had to lift his skipper in the wake of this fourth absence, empathised with the Norwegian international’s situation.

“Injuries are the worst part of our profession, and when a player has a big sequence of events, and I understand how Martin wants to be involved with the team, it is tough.”

Odegaard is one of several members of a leadership group within the broader Arsenal squad that is thought to include Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Mikel Merino and Gabriel Magalhaes.

While some have argued the likes of Rice would be better suited for the role, Odegaard has been regularly supported by his teammates and, before the season began, earned a 100% backing from the squad when the vote was taken to decide who wore the armband.

Arteta explained that vocally, he gives his side licence to be able to say anything and that in many ways when it comes from them organically it can have the greatest impact regardless of who the squad captain might be.

“Normally, it comes from them if someone wants to say something,” Arteta explained. “They discuss it with the leadership group.

“What they really think will make the difference on the day, and they have absolute freedom to do that, so if he wants to do that, he is more than welcome. When it comes from them, it is much more powerful.”

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