Arteta lauds in-form Odegaard as ‘remarkable’ Arsenal edge Napoli

NAPLES, Italy (AFP) — Mikel Arteta hailed Arsenal Captain Martin Odegaard for another match-winning moment as his goal sealed a 1-0 victory over Napoli in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday. However, Arteta said the result did not reflect a “remarkable” performance from his side. Last season’s runners-up began their Champions League campaign with a win at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona that was settled by Odegaard’s 75th-minute bullet strike on a night they racked up 26 shots, a club record away from home in the competition. Odegaard has started the 2026-27 in sensational form, scoring four goals in five games, including back-to-back winners against Chelsea and Napoli.

It marks a notable change in output from the Arsenal skipper, who scored one goal in 36 appearances in all competitions last season, and Arteta was asked about the attacking midfielder’s increased productivity in front of goal. “First of all, he needs to be available, and last year he missed so many games through injuries,” Arteta said. “He’s got that edge and he’s got different relationships around him as well. That helps. “Now he can start to occupy some different heights in the team, especially in the attacking phase. When we get him into those positions, he’s a really dangerous player. ” “What we need is players with that mindset to decide a game,” he added. “To play with that personality, that if an action might not happen, the next one, the next one, keep taking chances and risks. “He’s getting into those positions much more in recent games and you feel he has this emotional state that he knows the ball can go in, and he scored an incredible goal tonight. ” Arsenal have started the season strongly, winning all three of their Premier League games after brushing Manchester City aside in the…