Martin Odegaard continued his fine run of form in the Premier League this season with another five-star display in Arsenal's 2-0 win over Tottenham. The 24-year-old captained the Gunners to their 15th league win of the season as Mikel Arteta's men eased to victory against their local rivals.
The result was never in doubt at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as Antonio Conte's side struggled to lay a punch throughout. Hugo Lloris' early howler put the Gunners ahead in the 14th minute before Odegaard bagged his eighth goal of the season.
Odegaard has enjoyed an upward trajectory this season under Arteta, becoming one of the Premier League's best players. His performances over the past two months was recently awarded with him earning the Player of the Month award for November and December after scoring three and assisting another three in four games.
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And after his impressive outing against the Gunners' local rivals, Odegaard received strong plaudits from former Arsenal star Paul Merson. The 54-year-old was part of the panel on Sky Sports and spoken very highly of the Norwegian playmaker.
"Oh he’s different gravy," Merson continued. "Everything; his awareness, his brain, he makes every right decision. If you watch him on a football pitch, you could see why he was at Real Madrid at 16, 17-years-old.
"He’s one of the best in the Premier League - we talk about Kevin De Bruyne and of course he’s No.1 - but [Odegaard] is No.2. He makes things happen, and it’s so hard to pick him up because Partey is so good."
It's not the first time an ex-Arsenal man has praised Odegaard's performance this season. Bacary Sagna compared the former Real Madrid to Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie. "I would love to play in this current squad because it reminds me of when I joined the club originally, but this team has more atmosphere with the fans with a full Emirates Stadium every week," he told Midnite.
"Martin Odegaard reminds me of Cesc Fabregas, he has the same quality, but Odegaard also has the technique of Robin van Persie. The team is very good. The coach, the fans and the commitment of the players have been the reason for Arsenal's improvement from last season.
"The players' commitment is great, everything they do is for each other, the way they defend and attack together, they enjoy the football and play with a smile on their face. It's nice to see Arsenal back at their best.
"I love all the players. Martin Odegaard had so much expectation coming from the Real Madrid academy, no one expected them to do so well and have shown great maturity at a young age. They are strong on and off the pitch, the vibe in the squad is great."
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