Martin Keown claims Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard ‘proved a lot of people wrong’ in the Gunners’ deflating Premier League defeat to Aston Villa.
Aston Villa stormed into the title race and inflicted a blow to Arsenal’s hopes of lifting the Premier League trophy with a thrilling 2-1 win on Saturday afternoon.
It looked as though Leandro Trossard’s second-half goal was going to cancel out Matty Cash’s first-half opener but Emiliano Buendia scored a winner with the lack kick of the game.
The late win sees Unai Emery’s Villa climb to second in the Premier League – three points behind leaders Arsenal – before Manchester City’s game in hand against Sunderland.
Arsenal enjoyed a faultless start to the Premier League campaign but the defeat at Villa Park was their second of the season and the third time in five games that Mikel Arteta’s side have dropped points.
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Gunners legend Keown heaped praise on Odegaard shortly before Aston Villa’s dramatic winner, naming the Arsenal captain as the Player of the Match.
Odegaard was out with injury for almost two months earlier in the season but has returned to Arteta’s starting XI in recent weeks.
It was suggested that Odegaard might face a fight to win his place back given Arsenal’s brilliant form and the impact of summer signing Eberechi Eze.
But Keown felt Odegaard was the best player on the pitch at Villa Park and said his performance ‘proved’ his doubters wrong.
‘I’m going for Martin Odegaard,’ Keown said on TNT Sports when asked to name his Player of the Match.
‘He was out for ages but came in and controlled things in midfield today. He also had two or three really good efforts where he could’ve scored.
‘A lot of people were saying he shouldn’t get back in the Arsenal team with Eze’s form but he’s proved them wrong.’
Arteta, meanwhile, urged his Arsenal players to ‘go again’ after a deflating and rare defeat.
‘In the manner the way we lost it was difficult to take,’ said Arteta, who is attempting to end Arsenal’s 22-year wait for a Premier League title.
‘We had moments in the first half and after that we started to control the game and had good situations. We didn’t manage the ball well when we regained it.
‘We started well in second half, scored, we were dominant. Then we had periods where we gave the ball away which could’ve cost the game before the actual goal.
‘It is painful. The manner we played, the moment someone beats his own man the space is open, we had our moments but they are a good side.
‘We were close a few times. We need to lift up and go again. Every week will be like this. We are 18 games unbeaten and the margins are so small.
‘We have to focus on ourselves and certain standards today – individual levels weren’t there in some cases. We have to go again.’
Arsenal visit Club Brugge in the Champions League on Wednesday night before returning to Premier League action next weekend against bottom-placed Wolves.
Emerging title contenders Aston Villa, meanwhile, take on West Ham next weekend following a Champions League clash with Basel.
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