Arsenal: Martin Odegaard issues new knee injury update ahead of Carabao Cup final | OneFootball

Skipper eyeing return as Gunners quadruple quest continues

Martin Odegaard has issued an update on his injury as the Arsenal captain battles back to full fitness.

He has sat out since that 4-1 win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, citing further discomfort.

Arsenal have managed without him in his absence, topping the Premier League by nine points with seven games to play.

Writing to supporters in his programme notes ahead of the Gunners’ Champions League clash with Bayer Leverkusen, the Norwegian gave a brief update on his situation.

Mikel Arteta ruled out his skipper for tonight’s match, but held out hope that he could potentially feature in the Carabao Cup final this weekend.

"We're really pushing, he really wants to try to be available," the Spaniard said.

"But we'll have to wait and see in the next few days when he trains with the team, how he feels.

"We know the game that we're going to be playing in a few days again, and the more players that we have the better."

During his time out, Odegaard has been replaced in the side by Eberechi Eze, who seized his opportunity against Spurs in February, starting in his favoured No10 berth.

It also led to Bukayo Saka, a natural right-winger, being trialled in a central position in the 4-0 FA Cup thrashing of Wigan Athletic, and the England international has slotted into that role a few times since upon substitutions altering the Gunners’ shape.

Arteta’s side are aiming to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League on Tuesday, heading into their second leg against Leverkusen level at 1-1 on aggregate.

Kai Havertz haunted his former employers with a penalty late on after Robert Andrich had given Arsenal a taste of their own medicine, putting the Bundesliga side ahead at the BayArena as he snuck in at the back post from a corner.