Martin Odegaard injury: Arsenal receive worrying update as Ethan Nwaneri decision backfires

Arsenal have received a worrying injury update on captain Martin Odegaard following Thursday's 1-1 stalemate with Brentford in the Premier League.

The Gunners dropped two precious points in the title race at the Gtech Community Stadium, where Manchester City were the big winners after Noni Madueke's header was cancelled out by a Keane Lewis-Potter effort.

Mikel Arteta's men fell short in the London derby despite receiving three injury boosts before kickoff, as Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard all overcame niggles to make the matchday squad - the latter even being given the nod in the first XI.

Odegaard and Saka were then introduced after half time - the former replacing the ineffective Eberechi Eze during the break - but he was left in agony after attempting to stop Brentford's equaliser.

Odegaard stuck out a leg to try to prevent Lewis-Potter from attacking the ball, but in doing so took a painful knock to the knee, and he stayed down for a few minutes receiving treatment.

Martin Odegaard 'limps through mixed zone' after Arsenal draw

The Norway international still managed to see out the game, but his influence diminished rapidly after his positive impact immediately after coming on.

According to journalist Ryan Taylor, Odegaard was then seen limping through the mixed zone as he made his way to the team bus, raising renewed fears about another potential layoff for the playmaker.

Arteta did not give an update on Odegaard's condition after the game, but it would be a shock to see him involved in Sunday's FA Cup encounter with Wigan Athletic, and his participation in the North London derby on February 22 could also be at risk.

Odegaard has already suffered four separate injuries during a heavily-disrupted 2025-26 season, and he memorably became the first player to be substituted in the first half of three straight Premier League matches earlier this term.

The 27-year-old has managed just one goal and six assists in 26 matches during the current campaign, in which he has been restricted to two Champions League starts and 13 in the Premier League

Should Arsenal have kept Ethan Nwaneri in January?

Arsenal letting Ethan Nwaneri join Marseille on loan in January was a natural decision for both club and player, as the 18-year-old could not even make a Premier League matchday squad when all of Arteta's options were fit.

However, with Odegaard now suffering a worrying five injuries this season, Mikel Merino potentially missing the remainder of the campaign and Kai Havertz and Max Dowman also out for a few weeks, Eze is the only genuine option in the number 10 role.

The England international is still struggling to consistently make a difference for the Gunners in the same way that he did for Crystal Palace, and one cannot help but wonder whether Nwaneri would be a useful alternative right now.

Arsenal do not possess a recall option for the Premier League's youngest-ever player, and while his desire to head elsewhere was understandable, the Gunners' decision to let him go has now arguably backfired.

Defender William Saliba was another notable absentee from the squad to face Brentford, and Arteta did offer an update on the Frenchman, whose deputy Cristhian Mosquera made one crucial block to prevent Igor Thiago from scoring a possible winner.