Arsenal continue their strong start to the season with victory over West Ham - but Martin Odegaard sets an unwanted record.
Just three days after a "phenomenal" display against Olympiakos in the Champions League, things are not looking so positive once again for Martin Odegaard.
The Arsenal captain made history in the 2-0 win over West Ham on Saturday when he had to be withdrawn after only 30 minutes, becoming the first player in Premier League history to be substituted before half-time in three consecutive starts.
It continues a frustrating opening few weeks of the season for the 26-year-old Norwegian, having also come off early in victories against Leeds and Nottingham Forest.
On those occasions it was because of an ongoing shoulder issue. This time, after being named in an attacking side by manager Mikel Arteta, he had to be withdrawn after going "knee-to-knee" with West Ham forward Crysencio Summerville.
"I just spoke to him," said Arteta after the game. "He's not positive about it. He's got a brace on. We'll have to wait and see from the doctors, but we haven't been very unlucky with that either.
"We haven't had him since the start of the season for one reason or the other. The shoulder twice and then this injury.
"We'll have to wait and see the extent of that injury, and we'll find solutions, but obviously he's our captain and is a player that gives us a completely different dimension with the things that he can do, especially in attacking.
"Let's wait and hopefully it's not that bad."
Odegaard hasn't had much luck so far with injuries this season...
How Odegaard set an unwanted record
Arsenal 5-0 Leeds (23 August)
After playing 90 minutes in the opening game of the campaign against Manchester United, Odegaard had to be withdrawn 38 minutes into their second match against Leeds after landing awkwardly on his shoulder.
Arteta said it was difficult to tell how bad the injury was immediately after full-time and that he would be sent for a scan.
Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest (13 September)
Odegaard was back in the squad for the 1-0 defeat at Liverpool eight days later, coming on for the last 20 minutes, and then started both of Norway's games during the September international break.
He was back in the Gunners' starting XI against Nottingham Forest on 13 September but had to come off again in the 18th minute, with Arteta later confirming the injury was a re-occurrence of his shoulder problem.
Arsenal 2-0 West Ham (4 October)
Odegaard missed Arsenal's next three games before returning as a late substitute against Newcastle on 28 September and then playing the full match against Olympiacos in the Champions League on Wednesday.
But just half an hour into Saturday's win against West Ham he again had to be taken off, this time because of a knock to his knee.
The major positive: Arsenal's new squad depth
Odegaard made 45 appearances for Arsenal in all competitions last season and is usually the go-to man for Arteta.
It was injuries that derailed their title challenge in 2024-25, with Odegaard himself having a spell on the sidelines with an ankle problem.
But this season things are different in north London.
The Gunners spent around £250m in the summer transfer window, bringing in eight new players, and that squad depth has already played a massive part in their strong start to the campaign.
Arteta was able to call on £60m Martin Zubimendi to replace Odegaard and it was his long pass to Eberechi Eze which started the move from which Declan Rice scored the opening goal
Rice also went off with a back injury - but Arteta was able to bring on Mikel Merino and academy graduate Ethan Nwaneri in a real show of squad strength.
The Arsenal manager has already said that the "finishers could be more important than the starting players this season" - although he will hope that he will have to keep going to his squad because of injury issues.
"It's not ideal because we had really clear intentions with the line-up," he said. "But the good thing is we can bring somebody else in and be a little bit different but still very, very efficient."
Category: General Sports
