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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Tom Victor

Paul Scholes and Yaya Toure pour scorn on "lucky" Arsenal star Martin Odegaard

Martin Odegaard has found some form for Arsenal as they continue their top-four chase, but Paul Scholes and Yaya Toure agreed his impact in the Gunners' win at Watford carried some good fortune.

The Norwegian exchanged passes with Bukayo Saka down the Arsenal right before bursting into the area and passing the ball into the bottom corner of Ben Foster's net to put his team in front.

Saka and Gabriel Martinelli were also on the scoresheet for the London side at Vicarage Road, with Cucho Hernandez and Moussa Sissoko netting for the hosts in the five-goal thriller.

However, after the important victory for Mikel Arteta's men, pundits Scholes and Toure questioned the flick from Odegaard, which helped free Saka at the start of the move.

Did Odegaard mean it? Have your say in the comments section

Odegaard set Arsenal on their way against Watford (REUTERS)

"We're not sure if he means this, Odegaard to Saka, but if he does, give him credit, it's a lovely finish," former Manchester United star Scholes told Premier League Productions.

"I'm not 100 per cent sure. I think from one angle it does look like he meant it, from this angle I think he's a little bit lucky, I think he's just wanting it to let it run across his body, it catches his heel and plays in Saka."

Toure, meanwhile, said: "I think from my point of view he wants to control it," though the former Manchester City man still had plenty of praise for the movement involved in the opener.

"I think he got lucky with it, just touched it for Saka who was running behind the back of the defender," the Ivorian said.

"It was a pretty nice goal, nice movement, started from the midfield, beautiful, I like it."

Yaya Toure wasn't entirely convinced of Odegaard's intentions (Daily Mirror)

Odegaard's form for Arsenal has earned him comparisons with former Arsenal star Mesut Ozil, and the 23-year-old has admitted to being flattered by the mentions of a player he admired while beginning his career.

"I'm not a fan of comparing myself to other players, but I take it as a big compliment," the former Real Madrid man told TV2. "He was a player I looked up to a lot. He was one of my favourites when I was younger."

The Norway international has now scored five goals since completing a permanent move from the Bernabeu, after impressing during a loan spell last season, but Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has continued to demand more of him.

"He needs to play close to the opponent's box," Arteta said before the Watford game.

"He needs to create more goals, he needs to score more goals, he needs to make more runs in behind, he needs to be closer to the strikers to give them support, and he can do that."

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