Martin Odegaard suffered another injury setback during Arsenal's Premier League clash with West Ham, limping off in the opening thirty minutes with a knee problem. The Arsenal captain attempted to continue playing after receiving treatment but was eventually forced to admit defeat and was replaced by Martin Zubimendi.
This marks Odegaard's third injury of the season, continuing a frustrating period that has seen the Norwegian midfielder struggle with fitness issues. The knee injury occurred after a clash with West Ham's Crysensio Summerville, according to Daily Star reports.
Recurring injury problems
Odegaard's injury troubles began in August when he suffered a shoulder problem against Leeds, forcing him to miss one game. The shoulder issue then returned during Arsenal's home victory over Nottingham Forest in September, where he lasted just 18 minutes before being substituted.
Metro reports suggest the recurring shoulder problems had already limited Odegaard to just three Premier League starts this season. The latest setback comes just days after his man of the match performance against Olympiacos in midweek.
Arsenal's title ambitions
Arsenal headed into the weekend knowing a victory over their London neighbours would temporarily see them leapfrog Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table. The Gunners received an injury boost before kick-off with Gabriel Magalhaes passing a late fitness test to start.
However, Piero Hincapie, Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz and Noni Madueke all missed the match through various fitness concerns.
Captain's determination
Speaking in his programme notes before the game, Odegaard emphasised the importance of every Premier League fixture: "Today is all about the Premier League. Every game in this league is so difficult, and every point is crucial over the season."
"Obviously West Ham United have a new manager for this game, and you never know what that's going to look like and what that's going to bring, so let's be ready," the midfielder added.
Sources used: "Mirror", "Metro", "Daily Star" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
