Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard should make his return to the starting lineup when the Gunners host Olympiacos in Wednesday’s Champions League league-phase contest at the Emirates.
The Norway international returned from a shoulder injury as a late substitute in Sunday’s Premier League clash with Newcastle United, where his 96th-minute corner landed on Gabriel Magalhaes’s head for a sensational late winner in that 2-1 victory.
With a tight turnaround to manage and a London derby with West Ham United on the agenda for the weekend, Mikel Arteta should consider a few alterations for matchday two of the Champions League, and recalling Odegaard over Eberechi Eze is one of them.
The Spaniard could even ponder taking Declan Rice out of the XI, allowing Mikel Merino – another one of Arsenal’s saviours on Sunday – to strut his stuff in the left-eight role, which is arguably his best fit at present.
Leandro Trossard has started each of Arsenal’s last two Premier League matches, but the time is surely nigh for Gabriel Martinelli to be given a chance in the first XI, likely alongside Bukayo Saka and Viktor Gyokeres in the final third.
Further back, a fit-again Ben White ought to be OK for 45 or 60 minutes at right-back over Jurrien Timber, but Riccardo Calafiori is tipped to hold his position over Myles Lewis-Skelly again.
Cristhian Mosquera had a day to forget at Newcastle – giving away a needless corner for the Magpies’ opener before being withdrawn for William Saliba at half time – and the latter is now primed to regain his rightful place in defence.
Kai Havertz, Noni Madueke and Gabriel Jesus remain sidelined, while Piero Hincapie is also likely to miss out again as a result of his groin injury.
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Odegaard, Zubimendi, Merino; Saka, Gyokeres, Martinelli
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