Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard is working his way back to full fitness(Image: PA)

Arsenal get unexpected Martin Odegaard injury update as Pep Guardiola phone call revealed

24 Oct 2024, 03:00 by Isaac Seelochan · football.london

Arsenal will have all eye's on Sunday's huge Premier League clash at home to Liverpool.

Mikel Arteta's team currently sit four points behind the Reds after losing 2-0 away at Bournemouth last weekend. And Arsenal will be wary of that gap growing when they welcome Arne Slot's team to north London.

The Gunners know that defeat would see them fall seven points behind the league leaders and potentially six off Manchester City if the reigning champions beat Southampton on Saturday. Below are the latest media reports surrounding Arsenal...

Odegaard update

Norway manager Stale Solbakken has provided an update on Martin Odegaard’s recovery from injury. The Gunners captain has been out of action since picking up an injury on international duty in September.

“Everything indicates that things are going according to plan, so it’s about the last steps when you have to train with opponents and in team training,” he said via Norwegian media site VG. “It depends on how he responds to that, but we have a legitimate hope that he is ready.”

football.london's Isaac Seelochan says:"Arsenal will be desperate to have Odegaard back as soon as possible, but Arteta will be cautious about rushing him back. While Solbakken's update is an unexpected one as far as Arsenal fans are concerned, this weekend's game against Liverpool will be too soon, even if it's the type of game he would thrive in."

Pep talk

Oleksandr Zinchenko has revealed that Man City boss Pep Guardiola personally called him moments after his former team won the Champions League in 2023. The 27-year-old joined Arsenal from City in 2022 and has made 70 appearances for the north Londoners to date.

"I guess no one was sleeping that night," Zinchenko explained in his new book Believe. "But to get a call from Pep? I couldn’t believe it. He said, ‘Alex, you are a big part of this’ – I was fully surprised, in a good way. I said to him, again, a massive thanks for everything he did for me. It shows how good-humoured he could be."

football.london's Isaac Seelochan says: "Zinchenko won numerous titles at City so it's no surprise to hear about Guardiola's appreciation. The fact he did it so soon after City's Champions League win shows how important he was to the club, and Arsenal will be hoping he can end up having a similar impact with them."

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