Arsenal: 3 standout players in 3-1 win over Manchester United

3. Martin Odegaard

Every great team has a talisman, someone who can drag the team to new heights through exceptional performances, someone who transformed the team when they came in.

For Manchester United, it was Bruno Fernandes (whose drop off has been exceptionally hilarious). For Liverpool, it was Virgil van Dijk. For Arsenal, it is Martin Odegaard. Captain Odegaard, at that.

Coming on loan for six months, fans were doubtful. While he had been signed by Real Madrid when he was only 16, he had been shipped out to loan after loan. Even during his first stint with Arsenal some supporters still did not trust the young midfielder. There were flashes of brilliance, his game against West Ham comes to mind, but there wasn’t enough from him to convince everyone that he was the best possible choice.

Luckily, Arteta and Edu did not entertain the James Maddison rumors and pulled the trigger on Odegaard.

The effect he has had since his permanent move has been nothing short of revolutionary. His technical ability is world class. His first touch, ease in escaping the press and perfectly weighted passes are a joy to behold. An even more difficult skill to master is decision making and variety of passes, which Odegaard has in his locker.

There is a simplicity in much of his game. He moves the ball on quickly, feeding Saka on the outside at every opportunity and letting one of the league’s best wingers go to work. Yet he also possesses the ability to execute eye of the needle passes. It was his delicate dink to Saka that took the enter United backline out of the game and allowed Arsenal to win the penalty.

While it doesn’t show up on the stats sheet, the soft factors he provides are so incredibly useful. His leadership qualities, his pressing and the pure energy he offers make him Arsenal’s talisman.

Boy did Real Madrid make a mistake. A financially detrimental one, too.

Arteta was right when he said that the race for top four wasn’t over and there would be twists and turns ahead. Coming into the week, Arsenal find themselves in fourth, two points above Tottenham and six above Manchester United. The squad will need to dig deep as they strive to get the results they need to bring the Champions League back to the Emirates.