Arsenal: Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka keeping Premier League title hopes alive
Shearer and Sutton. Rooney and Ronaldo. Vardy and Mahrez. Drogba and Lampard. Silva and Aguero.
Many Premier League champions have the dual distinction of providing the necessary attacking feeder line for a title charge.
If Arsenal are to challenge for the title this season, it will depend on their lethal duo of Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard.
Saturday’s 5-2 win over West Ham UnitedIn the meantime, Arsenal were irresistible during a frantic 25 minutes in the first half, showing what they are capable of when both men sing.
Most tellingly, Saka and Odegaard combined for the second fateful goal, moments after West Ham thought they had equalized when Clesencio Somerville’s shot was ruled out for offside. .
Odegaard’s through ball for Saka was a delight, and the Englishman passed the ball to Leandro Trossard, who found the back of the net.
Their relationship on the field is so good that they can even share penalty duties. Arsenal scored two penalty kicks in the first half for the first time in the Premier League as Saka and Odegaard both converted penalties.
“He asked me for the ball – he wanted to score,” Saka told BBC Match of the Day about Odegaard’s first penalty. “He gave me the ball a lot, so it was nice to give it back to him.”
Saka and Odegaard are key for Arsenal – if both are fit, they have a chance of chasing Liverpool. this Poor performance at BournemouthWhen both were sidelined through injury, it was illustrative of how Arsenal struggled without them.
That game was the nadir of seven Premier League games that Odegaard has missed with an ankle sprain. The Arsenal captain has scored or assisted in each of his three league games since his return.
“I just wonder if Martin Odegaard will miss Arsenal as much as Rodri will miss Manchester City?” Chris Sutton asked on BBC Radio 5 Live. “Arsenal is becoming more and more important to me. With Martin Odegaard back, they are a different team.”
