What Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard did to console crestfallen Takehiro Tomiyasu after howler against Manchester City
Nerves at the Emirates were shaken when Takehiro Tomiyasu's horrendous error led to Manchester City opening the scoring against Arsenal. Martin Odegaard, however, immediately consoled the Japanese full-back.
Tomiyasu played an ill-measured back pass toward Aaron Ramsdale that virtually took the goalkeeper out of play. Kevin De Bruyne capitalized on the error as he provided a masterful finish to hand the lead to the Cityzens.
Odegaard, however, played a proper captain's role as he tucked the Japanese' chin up and asked him to get on with the game. BBC pundit Phil McNulty lauded the gesture, writing (via The Boot Room):
“Several Arsenal players, led by captain Martin Odegaard and Oleksandr Zinchenko, went straight over to Takehiro Tomiyasu after that mistake to offer instant support and consolation. Tomiyasu, understandably, looked crestfallen but that is a sign of the tight bond among this Arsenal side.”
Tomiyasu had a golden chance moments later to redeem himself. Despite finding himself at the end of Gabriel Martinelli's deflected cross, he fired his left-footed effort over the bar.
Eddie Nketiah earned the Gunners a penalty which Bukayo Saka converted with immaculate confidence to bring the score on level terms.
Crowd reaction to that goal was pretty amazing. Tomiyasu's name being sung too.
Whatever the outcome tonight, the cultural shift inside this stadium is extraordinary.
Rodri's injury time effort took a slight deflection off Nathan Ake and rattled the Gunners' bar before Ramsdale tipped it over.
Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland scored in the 72nd and 82 minute, respectively, to give City a 3-1 lead, and in all probability a win.
Bernardo Silva, Kyle Walker, and Ederson Moraes have already been booked for Manchester City. Silva was cautioned after multiple fouls on Saka while Ederson was booked for time wasting. Walker, on the other hand, kicked the ball before being allowed into play after going off injured.
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard revealed his relationship with Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland
International teammates Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard are currently direct rivals in the Premier League title race. Arsenal's Martin Odegaard wrote in his program notes ahead of the game that his relationship with Manchester City's Haaland was just normal.
The Gunners' captain wrote (via the club's official website):
"One of their new players this season is my Norway teammate Erling Haaland. We get on well off the pitch, and to be honest we have been in touch as usual this week. We don’t speak much about the games anyway, so nothing much has changed. We are in contact a lot, and this week has just been normal really for us – no more, no less."
Haaland and Odegaard tonight https://t.co/ncMqH8Zb3f
The game at the Emirates is currently at 3-1 in Manchester City's favor.