"He was feeling something" - Mikel Arteta explains Martin Odegaard's substitution in Arsenal's loss to Aston Villa
Mikel Arteta has said Martin Odegaard was unable to continue and thus had to be taken off in Arsenal's 2-0 Premier League loss against Aston Villa on Sunday (April 14). The Gunners manager did not provide details on the captain's injury.
Speaking to the media after the shock loss, Arteta said (via football.london):
"He was feeling something. He was feeling something. He could not continue."
When asked about the game, Arteta added:
"We were struggling to regain the ball in the areas that we did in the first half. Then we lacked a lot of composure. We rushed things with the ball, so we never had enough sequences to get them in the areas that we wanted like we did in the first half. Credit to them as well. But I think we lacked quite a lot of things in the second half and the game became more stretched and more even without a lot of things happening. Then when we conceded the goal that was a really big blow. The second one even bigger in the manner that it happened."
Arsenal's loss to Aston Villa saw them fall two points behind top-placed Manchester City in the title race, with Liverpool occupying third place. The three sides in the league now have six games left, but none of them face each other.
"It can happen to any team" - Arsenal manager on scheduling after loss to Aston Villa
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has said they were aware that a slipup could happen for the Gunners.
"Yeah that's a possibility. That's the reality now. It's been the same for a few months. We knew this moment could come and now it's about reacting and keeping believing and doing what we can do," Arteta said.
When asked if Arsenal and Liverpool's losses this weekend have given Manchester City the psychological boost, the Spaniard said:
"I don't know but when you look at the schedule, the games we have to play every three days, it's crazy. So it can happen to any team. It's happened in the past. We cannot control that all. We can control how we're going to be now. Prepare from tomorrow to give us the best chance to go to Munich with big belief and win the game to go into the semi-finals."
The Gunners travel to Germany to face Bayern Munich on Wednesday (April 17). The UEFA Champions League quarterfinals are tied at 2-2 after the first leg at home on April 9.