Arsenal: Why Martin Odegaard masterclass vs Aston Villa was perfectly timed in title race | OneFootball

Gunners skipper is back with a bang as Aston Villa were thumped

Up until Christmas, this had been a fairly frustrating season for Martin Odegaard.

Odegaard had only one goal involvement in any competition, though, that coming with an assist against Olympiakos.

Earlier this season, he became the first player in Premier League history to be substituted before half-time in three consecutive starts, as injuries hit.

All such talk has been silenced over the last four days with Odegaard's best two performances of the season.

He was superb offensively against Brighton, scoring with a trademark drive into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

That Declan Rice was first on the scene to celebrate with him, pointing to Odegaard and roaring to the crowd, also felt like a clear message.

There have been calls from some sections of the Arsenal fanbase for Rice to take the captain's armband from Odegaard, but the Norwegian is an incredibly popular figure and hugely respected in the dressing room.

Against Aston Villa, in the statement 4-1 win, Odegaard produced an even better all-around display. Only similarly brilliant performances from the likes of Leandro Trossard and Gabriel prevented him going home with the player of the match award.

No Arsenal player had more touches, more shots or more key passes than Odegaard, who also made as many interceptions as any of his team-mates and led the way for duels won.

"Well, he needed some consistency as well," Arteta said after the match on his captain's return to form.

"Obviously he had two times a shoulder injury, then he had a big knee injury and that takes a little bit of time.

"Now you can see that he is flowing, that his energy level is back to where it is, that he is taking risks, that he is affecting the game in a great way. I think he was playing really well today."

Flow is the word to describe Odegaard in this mood, gliding across the pitch so elegantly.

The Norwegian was Arsenal's deepest midfielder when he proved too strong for Jadon Sancho, winning the ball back and driving forward. He then slid a wonderfully weighted pass through to Martin Zubimendi to double the lead.

When not at his best, Odegaard can take too many touches and too often look for the safety blanket of a pass out to Bukayo Saka on the right.

There have been some brilliant combinations with Saka in the last couple of games, but also variety in where Odegaard has looked to unlock defences.

He has been sharp in those lovely feints and drops of the shoulder to work a yard of space and his decision-making has been superb.

Odegaard was unlucky to come away from the big win over Villa with only one assist. He played Piero Hincapie in and the defender slipped, falling on top of the ball, while Saka blazed over when he was released in the box.

Eze has not played a single minute in the last three Premier League matches and Odegaard's current form means only rotation will bring opportunities for the summer signing in that No8 role.

In ten Premier League appearances from the start of the season until the win over Wolves earlier this month, Odegaard made a total of 12 key passes.

He has made that many in the last three matches alone, registering five against Brighton and three against Villa, and leading Arsenal to six points from two fixtures they have not often enjoyed in recent seasons

All signs point to Odegaard being back to his best. Should he maintain this form as the title race intensifies, those early-season struggles will be a distant memory.