Gabriel out, Odegaard back: But Arsenal captain shouldn’t start in NLD against Spurs | OneFootball

Arsenal were dealt a hammer blow when Gabriel Magalhaes was ruled out for a month, but captain Martin Odegaard should be available for Sunday’s North London Derby against Tottenham, which at least softens the blow.

However, we’re not convinced that Odegaard coming straight into the starting XI is the best idea.

Martin Odegaard’s injury-ravaged 2025/26 campaign

It’s hardly bold to assume Mikel Arteta won’t throw Odegaard into the starting XI for such a big game, but he is club captain and the Spaniard’s most influential playmaker, after all.

It’s been seven games without the Norwegian international for Arsenal, who haven’t skipped a beat without their talismanic skipper.

Without Odegaard, the Premier League leaders won six out of seven games to nil and drew the other 2-2 at Sunderland. Their form has been tremendous, and there could be questions about Arsenal’s defensive solidity with their captain out of the team.

Odegaard was with the Norway team as they qualified for the World Cup, which he will lead next summer, but has also returned to full training with Arsenal, per Charlie Wyett of The Sun.

Wyett says the 26-year-old is ‘set to return’ against Spurs on Sunday, in a timely boost after Gabriel was ruled out for a month following an injury for Brazil, ironically, in a friendly at the Emirates.

Viktor Gyokeres, meanwhile, remains a doubt for the North London Derby. The Swede has not featured since coming off at half-time against Burnley three weeks ago.

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Arsenal have been impeccable without Odegaard

With Ebere Eze filling the playmaking void left by Odegaard, Arsenal have actually looked better than ever and have established themselves as Premier League title favourites.

There was a glitch in Arteta’s system in Arsenal’s most recent match against Sunderland, but what’s not broken doesn’t need fixing.

Declan Rice is another player who has benefited with more attacking responsibility, while Martin Zubimendi has helped provide the calming and technical presence Odegaard usually brings.

It’s pretty clear that Odegaard should be named on the bench against Spurs, with Eze, Rice, and Zubimendi in the midfield behind Bukayo Saka, Mikel Merino, and Leandro Trossard.

Gabriel injury could create Lewis-Skelly v Hincapie headache

There is even less certainty at the back after Gabriel’s injury. Does Arteta replace him with Piero Hincapie, or move Riccardo Calafiori into centre-back and bring Myles Lewis-Skelly back into left-back? For continuity, we reckon the former.

Hincapie, though, has mainly played left-back for Arsenal and became the player he is by playing left centre-back in a back three at Bayer Leverkusen.

Having said that, he started at centre-back against Brighton in the Carabao Cup and kept a clean sheet. It’s actually a pretty simple decision, but it’s two superb options that emphasise the squad depth Arteta has, particularly in defence.