Martin Odegaard will return to the Arsenal starting lineup in the UEFA Champions League clash with Olympiacos at the Emirates on Wednesday.
Arsenal will aim to continue the recent unbeaten run when they welcome Olympiacos to the Emirates for a UEFA Champions League clash on Wednesday night. Mikel Arteta has no new injury concerns to worry about ahead of his side’s latest fixture.
Piero Hincapie’s availability remains uncertain amid his battle to recover from a groin injury. Meanwhile, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus are long-term absentees for the home side due to their knee issues.
Martin Odegaard’s readiness to start a game is uncertain, even though he was impressive in his cameo against Newcastle United. Meanwhile, during his pre-match press conference, Arteta discussed whether Odegaard was fit enough to feature from the get-go.
The Arsenal manager said, “He was very good [against Newcastle], he came on and immediately you could see the desire and the responsibility to get in the game, to try to change it. His decision making, the way he approached every ball and he made a difference to help us win the game.”
Arteta also spoke about how his squad is handling Havertz’s absence. He said, “In a really natural, organic way, I would say. He’s a really confident boy. His work ethic is incredible. The demands that he puts on himself every single day. It’s a joy to work with him. He gives so much to the team, and the ceiling is very, very far, but he can still give to the team, so I’m very happy with him.”
David Raya is an automatic pick between the sticks, and Arsenal will line up in a 4-3-3 formation in front of him against Olympiacos on Wednesday. The backline will feature Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, and Myles Lewis-Skelly. So, Jurrien Timber, Cristhian Mosquera, and Riccardo Calafiori will drop to the bench and get some rest.
As for the midfield unit, Odegaard will return to the starting lineup for the first time since returning from a shoulder issue. The Norwegian international will join Martin Zubimendi and Mikel Merino in the middle of the park. Finally, Viktor Gyokeres will lead the line for the home side against Olympiacos, with Eberechi Eze and Bukayo Saka being the two wide attackers.
Predicted Arsenal XI: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Zubimendi, Merino; Saka, Gyokeres, Eze