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Odegaard-Saka partnership is what could make Arsenal champions

Arsenal are back. After a sticky period of the season over October and into November, the Gunners have now won their last three games in all competitions, scoring 13 goals in emphatic victories over Nottingham Forest, Sporting CP and West Ham. It’s no coincidence that this resurgence has come after Martin Odegaard’s return.

Odegaard has changed the landscape for Arsenal. Nobody in Mikel Arteta’s squad can replicate the creativity of the Norwegian who has registered three goal contributions in three of his last four games following two months on the sidelines through injury. The Gunners are a completely different team with Odegaard back in the lineup.

It’s not just that Odegaard gives Arsenal additional attacking output in goals and assists. The 25-year-old makes others around him better and nobody has benefited from Odegaard’s return more than Bukayo Saka who has reached an even higher level over the last few matches, as demonstrated by the performance against West Ham.

Odegaard and Saka are on the same wavelength. They combine regularly in the attacking third. One is always aware of the other’s movement with Saka keen to get in behind as often as possible. West Ham couldn’t handle the duo at the London Stadium on Saturday when Arsenal were 4-0 up after 36 minutes.

“The way he prepares himself,” said Arteta when asked what has allowed Odegaard to hit the ground running after two months on the sidelines. “How much work he put in with the physios and all the medical department to get in the best possible condition to face the period and importance of the season we are in at the moment. To hit the ground running.

“He was exceptional since the Chelsea game, and he’s been very consistent in the last few games. Good players who are so consistent and reliable, they can take the game to a different level and make the players around them better. That’s a huge quality of Martin and yes, he’s been missed.”

Without Odegaard, Arsenal were easier to limit as an attacking outfit. The Gunners drew a blank in matches against Bournemouth, Newcastle United and Inter Milan with Arteta unable to retool his forward line to account for the absence of his Norwegian creator in-chief. It was almost solely on Saka to create openings in the final third.

Now that Odegaard is fit again, Saka is finding more space down the right wing. With defenders drawn to Odegaard in the centre of the pitch, Saka is able to create more one-on-one situations to drive at opponents. The England international is one of the best dribblers in Europe and Arsenal’s game plan is geared towards giving Saka the opportunity to showcase this.

It’s important for Arsenal to build further momentum against Manchester United on Wednesday night. Ruben Amorim is instilling his ideas at Old Trafford and so a fixture against United now might be more challenging than would have been the case only a few weeks ago when Erik ten Hag was still in charge.

After that, Arsenal have games against Fulham, Everton, Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town before the new year. Arteta and his players are surely targeting a strong finish to 2024 which would put them in a good position to challenge for the title in the second half of the season with Manchester City falling further and further off the pace.

Liverpool hold a nine-point lead at the top of the Premier League table and so it might already be too late for anyone to catch Arne Slot’s side. However, the partnership between Odegaard and Saka could get Arsenal back into the title race. It could even be strong enough to make them champions.