Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta painted a concerning picture about midfield pair Martin Ødegaard and Declan Rice following Saturday’s Premier League win over West Ham United.
Ødegaard, who has missed game time already this season because of a repeat freak shoulder injury, had to be withdrawn in the first half of a Premier League game for third time so far in 2025–26. The club has since confirmed medial collateral ligament damage, leading him to withdraw from the Norway squad for upcoming internationals in order to continue being treated by club staff.
The skipper has inadvertently achieved an unwanted Premier League first as a result, becoming the only player in the competition’s history to be substituted before half-time in three consecutive appearances, per Opta.
Rice scored the game’s opening goal, before Bukayo Saka made the points safe on a landmark day for the winger, but the midfielder wound up coming off 11 minutes from the end in discomfort. Both players, Arteta explained afterwards, will require further assessment to fully understand their respective issues.
Ødegaard Hasn’t Been ‘Very Lucky’
Arteta had answered questions about his stricken captain in the postmatch press conference.
“I think he had a clash knee-to-knee and immediately he was uncomfortable,” the Spaniard said. “I just spoke to him, he’s not positive about it. He’s got a brace on, we’ll have to wait and see from the doctors. But we haven’t been very lucky with that either.
“We haven’t had him since the start of the season for one reason or the other, the shoulder twice and then this injury. We will find solutions but obviously our captain is a player who gives us a completely different dimension with the things that he can do, especially in attack."
As it stands, there is no timeframe for his recovery and return, but the undisclosed severity could mean anything from a one-week absence to potentially 12 weeks.
Rice ‘Not Alright’
In Ødegaard’s enforced absences, it’s been crucial for Arsenal that Rice has been available. Worryingly, Rice not being able to complete a game is “unusual” and Arteta now faces a situation where both players are potentially sidelined.
“He’s not alright because he asked me to come off, so that’s a shame,” the boss said of Rice.
“He had a pain in his back and he could not carry on which is something very unusual for Declan so we’ll have to assess him and see how he is.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Arsenal Provide Martin Odegaard Injury Update, Mikel Arteta Sends Declan Rice Warning.
