Martin Keown says one Arsenal star proved his doubters wrong against Villa

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·6 December 2025

Martin Keown says one Arsenal star proved his doubters wrong against Villa

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has missed a significant number of matches this season due to injuries, and his place in the starting lineup has been widely debated among supporters. During his absence, Eberechi Eze stepped into the midfield and produced several impressive performances, prompting discussions about whether the team had found a ready-made replacement.

Eze’s Rise During Odegaard’s Absence

As Eze excelled, some fans and pundits openly suggested that he should permanently take Odegaard’s role, especially with the Norwegian linked to interest from Barcelona. A portion of the Arsenal fanbase even felt that cashing in on Odegaard might be a sensible move, given Eze’s strong form and seamless integration into Mikel Arteta’s system.

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Odegaard, however, has now returned to full fitness after nearly two months on the sidelines, and Arteta has made it clear that the midfielder remains central to his plans. The Arsenal manager has long valued Odegaard’s technical quality, leadership and consistency, and wasted no time reintegrating him into the starting eleven.

Odegaard (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Odegaard Responds With a Strong Performance

The Norwegian international started against Aston Villa and delivered one of Arsenal’s standout performances on the day. His control of the midfield and his creativity were evident, drawing praise from former Arsenal defender Martin Keown.

Speaking via Metro Sport, Keown said: ‘He was out for ages but came in and controlled things in midfield today. He also had two or three really good efforts where he could’ve scored. A lot of people were saying he shouldn’t get back in the Arsenal team with Eze’s form but he’s proved them wrong.’

Odegaard’s display served as a timely reminder of his importance to the team and may have put an end, at least for now, to the debate surrounding his place in the side.

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