Kris Boyd feels Martin Odegaard is ‘pivotal’ to Arsenal finishing in the Premier League top-four and qualifying for the Champions League, speaking on Sky Sports News (12/3, 14:09).
The Gunners sit in a prime seat for a spot in UEFA’s premier club competition next season under Mikel Arteta. The Spaniard has turned their campaign on its head following a torrid start last August, with the north Londoners eying their first UCL appearance since 2016/17.
Arsenal started the season with three-straight defeats, each without scoring, to sit bottom of the table. But the Emirates Stadium natives could now end the weekend in fourth-place, still with three games in hand over Manchester United, West Ham and one on Tottenham.
Victory at home to Leicester City on Sunday will also see Arsenal claim a fifth-straight win. Three-points or a draw will also stretch their unbeaten run to six, having not lost a top-flight match since New Years’ Day when Manchester City came from behind to win 2-1.
Kris Boyd tips ‘unbelievable’ Martin Odegaard as ‘pivotal’ to Arsenal top-four
Odegaard had a direct hand in Arsenal reaching five unbeaten games with a 3-2 win away to Watford last Sunday. The £34m summer signing from Real Madrid scored his fifth goal so far this season at Vicarage Road. He has also offered three assists after 23 appearances.
Boyd lauds Odegaard for the role the Norwegian ace has established for himself at Arsenal since his permanent transfer. The Rangers icon started to wax lyrical about the 23-year-old while breaking down his goal at Watford, having first fed Bukayo Saka in down the wing.
“He’s a clever footballer, not a lot of people would see that [pass],” Boyd said. “A lot of people would think its luck. But he gets in and has the composure to finish. He’s one of those players who plays with his head up, and he can see things before others can.
“He’s a really, really, really intelligent player. And you get the feeling, if he can stay on top of his game between now and the end of the season, Arsenal are in with a right good chance of getting top-four. He will be pivotal to them doing it. He was unbelievable.”
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