As all sides stood to applaud Arsenal’s best display in weeks, there was recognition too of the wondrous touches and effortless shimmies that had defined a game. Amid the brilliance from Odegaard, Arsenal realised it is the simple things only he can do that they had missed the most.
Nottingham Forest, who had beaten Liverpool and drawn at Chelsea to arrive at the Emirates level on points with Arsenal, looked second-best throughout and were dismissed 3-0. Arsenal were revitalised with their heartbeat restored, winning in the Premier League for the first time in five games. There was further reason to celebrate as Odegaard marked his first home appearance since August with a dazzling display. After a difficult, “nightmare” autumn that threatened to derail Arsenal’s title challenge, Odegaard helped restore the feelgood factor despite the bite of winter in the air.
And yet the match-winner, leading the way as Arsenal began a crucial run with an important victory, was Bukayo Saka. With a sublime opener and assist for Thomas Partey’s long-range strike to double Arsenal’s lead, Saka returned to his devastating best after four games without a goal, picking up his excellent attacking output from earlier in the season. With Saka and Odegaard in tandem again, all the worries that had gripped Mikel Arteta’s team before the international break were washed away.
この記事は The Independent の November 24, 2024 版に掲載されています。
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この記事は The Independent の November 24, 2024 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
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