Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard is currently sidelined with injury.
Mikel Arteta has had to cope without the services of Martin Odegaard for some weeks now.
The Arsenal skipper will miss his seventh match when Southampton come to the Emirates Stadium for a Premier League clash this afternoon.
The Norwegian playmaker has already been absent for Premier League fixtures against Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City, and Leicester City, as well as Champions League encounters with Atalanta and PSG, and an EFL Cup showdown against Bolton Wanderers.
Odegaard picked up an injury whilst on international duty in early September. The 25-year-old is a key player for the Gunners, and Arteta will be keen to have him back in action as soon as possible, but the team have coped well and remained unbeaten in his absence.
Arsenal star Martin Odegaard provides injury update
Speaking in his captain’s notes ahead of Southampton’s visit to the Emirates Stadium, published in the matchday programme and on the official Arsenal website, Odegaard has shared the latest on his recovery journey.
He said: “I just wanted to start with the latest on my injury and rehab. In the last week or so I’ve made really good progress.
“I’m getting better and better by the day and feel it’s going well. When you feel like things are moving forward, it gives you motivation to do more and more, and work harder.
“Today is our last game before another international break, so that gives me some more time to work on the rehab, too. Hopefully it won’t be much longer; I think we will know more as soon as I get out on the training pitches and we see how my ankle responds to that.
“At the moment it’s progressing well and it looks better than we were thinking, but we’ve still got to take every day as it comes.”
Referencing the Gunners’ impressive recent form, he added: “Anyway, it looks as though the team don’t really need me at the moment! We have been playing so well lately.”
How Mikel Arteta will cope without Odegaard vs Southampton
Leandro Trossard has been deputising for the former Real Madrid man in his more central position in recent weeks to great effect. The Belgian will likely retain his place in the side and in this role against the Saints.
Trossard has shown he can combine with Kai Havertz effectively, and that link up could prove key to making the breakthrough against the south coast club, who will have former Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale between the sticks.
However, Ethan Nwaneri will be hoping for minutes in this fixture too, and is another player who has shown he can step up with Odegaard out of action.
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