‘He is just pure class…’ Michael Owen amazed by £240k-a-week Arsenal star v Aston Villa

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Once upon a time, Mikel Arteta made the call to boot Mesut Ozil out of the club.

That was during the early reigns of his Arsenal career. It was brave, bold and ruthless from the inexperienced manager.

At the time, the struggling London club needed creativity. The likes of Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe were still teenagers, with very little creative quality in the squad. That’s why many were surprised that Ozil was let go.

But fast forward to the present and it’s a call that has paid off with Arsenal‘s performances, as they push for the Premier League title for a second season, proving to be the case.

One man who Arteta brought to the club to improve the creative side of their game and add flair was Martin Odegaard.

The Norway star was a wonderkid coming up and was signed by Real Madrid as a fresh-faced teenager, there was so much pressure on his shoulders at a young age.

And during Arsenal’s defeat to Aston Villa on Sunday, Michael Owen thinks he showcased why because he was ‘pure class’, as he told Premier League Productions (14/04/24 at 5:30 pm).

Now donning the captain’s armband, the £240k-a-week star is leading by example and proving to the world why he is one of the top midfielders in the world.

In the first half against Villa, he was probably the best player on the pitch, before he faded away during the second period.

Martin Odegaard against Aston Villa

“We have been drooling over some of his touches and some of his passing,” said Owen.

“He is just pure class. This pass is just incredible, one of the passes of the season. Great vision and great pace on the pass. He knows how to find space.”

Who will win the Premier League title?

Before Arsenal could kick off against Villa, news would have filtered through about Liverpool’s defeat to Crystal Palace.

It was a shock given that it was at Anfield and it probably dents their chances of becoming champions of England in May.

Manchester City themselves, like they always do during this stage of the season, did their job and dispatched Luton Town 5-1 to move top of the table.

Therefore, for Arsenal and Liverpool to lose their matches is probably a seismic moment in this title race, with both teams kicking and punching themselves at their dropped points.