Odegaard sets tone, Rice the standard as Arsenal continue to build momentum
Martin Odegaard scored his first goal of the season for Arsenal in the win against Brighton. Pic: Bradley Collyer/PA Wire.
A victory for Mikel Arteta’s hastily restructured injury-hit side may not linger long in the memory for its fluency or drama, but its significance could yet define their season. Not a spectacle, but another narrow, nervy win that kept Arsenal exactly where they want to be as the year draws to a close: top of the Premier League, alive in every competition, and possibly building momentum at precisely the right time.
With Manchester City having won earlier in the day, the pressure was clear. Arsenal responded not with the goalscoring freedom their supporters craved, but with professionalism. The Emirates sensed the importance of the moment, even as familiar frustrations surfaced around missed chances and late anxiety. Yet by full-time, the table told its own story. Arsenal remain in control, with the tantalising possibility of entering the New Year leading the Premier League and Champions League, and with a League Cup semi-final against Chelsea on the horizon too.
Brighton were ultimately dispatched thanks to two moments: one of quality, one of pressure. Martin Odegaard’s crisp 14th-minute finish, drilled low into the corner after intelligent work from Bukayo Saka, felt like a release. For the captain, it was his first goal of the season and a sign that he is edging back towards his sharpest form after injury.
“I’ve been waiting for that one,” Odegaard admitted. “I’ve been working really hard to improve the finishing. I like to be in those areas, and Bukayo finds me there.”
More important than the goal, though, was Odegaard’s authority. This was a captain’s performance at a moment when Arsenal are beginning to feel the weight of expectation again. His leadership will be critical over the coming weeks, not least as Arsenal face nine matches in January alone.
The match winner, an own goal from Georginio Rutter under pressure from a goal-bound Declan Rice corner, summed up Arsenal’s current identity. Opponents buckle, even if Arsenal do not always land the knockout blow themselves. It was the fourth own goal in Arsenal’s favour in three home games: no coincidence, just sustained stress.
Yet if Odegaard set the tone, Rice set the standard. Man of the match, the England international was outstanding in an unfamiliar role at right back, drafted in as injuries once again tore up Arteta’s defensive plans. With Jurrien Timber ruled out on Friday and Riccardo Calafiori sidelined during the pre-match warm-up, Rice adapted seamlessly, combining tactical intelligence with physical dominance.
“An unbelievable performance from him,” Odegaard said. “To play right back, probably the first time in his life, and do it the way he did that’s just our team. Everyone is ready to do whatever it takes.” Rice’s season has now moved beyond consistency into authority. He looks increasingly like the league’s outstanding midfielder, wherever he happens to be deployed and his versatility could again prove vital on Tuesday night.
Because looming over all of this is Aston Villa’s visit to the Emirates, a fixture heavy with subtext and unfinished business. Villa inflicted one of Arsenal’s most painful moments of the season only three weeks ago, scoring with the final kick of the match to hand Arteta only his second defeat in all competitions. It was a reminder that margins remain fine.
Villa, of course, are managed by Unai Emery, globally admired, but ultimately a wrong fit for Arsenal. In contrast to Emery’s transactional relationship with the club, Arteta’s connection runs deeper. He embraces every element of Arsenal’s culture, from pre-match rituals and stadium announcements to obsessive tactical preparation. That emotional and cultural investment now feels embedded throughout the squad.
The return of Gabriel offers a timely boost, with the Brazilian expected to start at the heart of the defence against Villa. His presence should provide stability, though Rice may be required to again sacrifice his midfield role for the team’s need.
Arsenal are not perfect, Odegaard acknowledged as much after Brighton, but they are resilient.
“We suffered a bit by not making the most of our chances,” he said. “But we are used to playing twice a week. At this time of year you don’t really look at the days, it’s just the schedule.” Preparation, recovery and professionalism now underpin everything. “People might not see that side of it,” Odegaard added, “but it’s a big part of the job.”
Tuesday night is not about revenge, nor about statements. It is about the result. Arsenal have put themselves in a position where every game reinforces belief or invites doubt. Against Villa, at home, with doubt and momentum building in equal measure, they have a chance to claim a statement win. The alternative, for Arteta and the club’s supporters, is almost unthinkable.
After all, it was only April last year when Emery masterminded a win in north London, with two late goals, that practically ended Arsenal’s title hopes at a time when they were also defending a slender lead at the top.
Raya 6, Rice 9, Saliba 7, Hincapie 6, Lewis-Skelly 6 (Magalhaes 71), Merino 6, Zubimendi 6, Odegaard 8, Saka 7, Trossard 6 (Martinelli 82), Gyokeres 6 (Jesus 71). Subs: Arrizabalaga, Eze, Norgaard, Madueke, Nwaneri, Salmon
Verbruggen 5, Dunk 6, van Hecke 6, Coppola 6 (Watson 87), Hinshelwood 5 (Welbeck 75), Gruda 5 (Minteh 46), Ayari 6, De Cuyper 5 (Wiefer 46), Gomez 6 (Kostoulas 87), Kadioglu 6, Rutter 6. Subs: Steele, Milner, Boscagli, Veltman
John Brooks 3
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