Martin Keown says one Arsenal star proved his doubters wrong against Villa

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has missed a significant number of matches this season due to injuries, and his place in the starting lineup has been widely debated among supporters. During his absence, Eberechi Eze stepped into the midfield and produced several impressive performances, prompting discussions about whether the team had found a ready-made replacement.

Eze’s Rise During Odegaard’s Absence

As Eze excelled, some fans and pundits openly suggested that he should permanently take Odegaard’s role, especially with the Norwegian linked to interest from Barcelona. A portion of the Arsenal fanbase even felt that cashing in on Odegaard might be a sensible move, given Eze’s strong form and seamless integration into Mikel Arteta’s system.

Odegaard, however, has now returned to full fitness after nearly two months on the sidelines, and Arteta has made it clear that the midfielder remains central to his plans. The Arsenal manager has long valued Odegaard’s technical quality, leadership and consistency, and wasted no time reintegrating him into the starting eleven.