Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard was forced off with an ankle injury during Norway's 2-1 win over Austria in the UEFA Nations League. The 25-year-old appeared to have twisted his left ankle after being tackled from behind by Austria's Christoph Baumgartner in the 64th minute.
After being treated by doctors for about 2 minutes, Odegaard was able to walk on his own, although his steps were still limping. He walked into the dressing room amid the worries of Norwegian fans in Oslo. Norway's captain - Stale Solbakken revealed that his student's injury was considered "seemingly serious". Whether the Gunners captain can continue playing in the following days is still a big question mark.
Arsenal and Mikel Arteta have three very important matches ahead of them. This weekend, they will face Tottenham in the London Derby in the fourth round of the Premier League. Next week, the Gunners will have their UEFA Champions League opener against Atalanta. Next weekend, Arsenal will have a big match with Manchester City, a match considered the first leg of the Premier League final.
Despite the big games, the Gunners' midfield is currently beset by a number of absences. Declan Rice is suspended after receiving a red card in the draw with Brighton. Newly arrived Mikel Merino suffered a shoulder injury in training before playing a game and will be out for a few weeks. Martin Odegaard is also injured, leaving Jorginho and Thomas Partey as the only capable midfielders in the starting lineup.
Not only the midfield, Arsenal's defense is also suffering from the aftereffects of FIFA Days. In Italy's 3-1 away win over France, Riccardo Calafiori suffered a calf injury after a collision with Ousmane Dembele. After this injury, Calafiori returned to the club's headquarters, instead of continuing to play in the Nations League.
Although he joined Arsenal in a rather hasty manner, the former Bologna star's adaptation to the game is commendable. From centre-back, full-back to defensive midfielder, the 22-year-old star can perform well in all roles. Arteta has been full of praise for his new student and believes that this is the best quality addition to Arsenal this summer.
Without Calafiori this week, Arsenal's defence will look a little rusty again in Sunday's London Derby against Tottenham. With the Premier League race becoming increasingly unpredictable and having just dropped points against Brighton, if Arsenal run out of steam early in the season, they may not be able to keep pace with Manchester City.
