Martin Odegaard issues Gunners a warning following loss vs. Aston Villa

To avoid losing ground in the Premier League championship battle, Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has issued a warning, stating that the Gunners must be more “ruthless” in front of the goal.

After taking advantage of Arsenal’s loss to Aston Villa, who are setting themselves up for an unexpected championship assault, Liverpool concluded the weekend at the top of the league.

Mikel Arteta took issue with a goal that the Gunners had disallowed, and they were denied a potential penalty. However, they also had more possession of the ball, more shots, and more effort on goal than Villa had, and they were still unable to create the winning combination, losing 1-0.

“We have to take our chances,” Odegaard said. “When you come to a place like [Villa Park] it is always tough. So you have to be ruthless in front of the goal – myself included, I missed a few big ones, so that’s annoying. But the only thing we can do is work hard to improve and bounce back in the next one.”

With six straight victories across all competitions, including four in the Premier League, Arsenal headed to the West Midlands, although they had encountered a similar situation against Newcastle the previous month.

Arsenal outshot their opponents and controlled the ball, making the debate moot as Arteta was left fuming with VAR and Newcastle’s victory. In 16 Premier League games played so far this season, those two losses for the Gunners are the only ones. 

However, should the race come down to the wire in May, both games might end up being “what if” scenarios. As the Gunners have already secured their place as the champions of their Champions League group, Arteta is anticipated to rotate his players when Arsenal returns to action tomorrow against PSV Eindhoven.

Sunday’s visit at the Emirates Stadium from Brighton & Hove Albion offers the Premier League’s best opportunity for a rapid reaction.