Arsenal: Norway doctor reveals big Odegaard injury update as Gunners sold ‘stop-gap’

Arsenal midfielder Martin Odegaard is likely to miss at least three weeks with his ankle injury but there is good news for Gunners supporters.

The Norway international was taken off around the hour mark in a 2-1 win against Austria after an innocuous-looking clash with Christoph Baumgartner.

He was helped off the pitch in tears by Norway team-mate Erling Haaland after being left clutching his left ankle on Monday night.

But Norway’s team doctor had a relatively positive update on Odegaard’s injury with Ole Sand insisting that there is “probably no fracture” of his ankle.

On the Arsenal man’s injury, Sand said: “Such ankle injuries often take at least three weeks. Anything other than that is just a bonus. And then it can take longer.

“What we have so far obtained from the MRI examination in London is that there is probably no fracture in the ankle.’

Sand added: “Regardless of the MRI images, his response to the rehabilitation in the next few weeks is the most important.

“It will start carefully on the bike, carefully in relation to what he can tolerate from pain. Then you take it gradually.”

Former Watford striker Troy Deeney has questioned the Gunners’ decision to sell Emile Smith Rowe and reckons he could have been the perfect replacement for Odegaard.

Arsenal decided to cash in on Smith Rowe over the summer transfer window with Fulham buying the attacking midfielder for an initial £27m.

On Odegaard’s injury, Deeney told talkSPORT: “I think it will be a monumental miss.

“Arsenal got lucky over the last two years with no one getting injured and no one really missing any big games through suspension.

“This week will probably be the first time they will be without two massive players through injury and suspension so we’ll see how they deliver.”

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Deeney added: “This is where the frustration is with some Arsenal fans I know, in terms of letting go of Emile Smith Rowe.

“He’s not the same player as Odegaard by any stretch by he would certainly offer a stop-gap in that moment.

“Now, you probably would have to start looking at dropping [Kai] Havertz back a bit, maybe put [Gabriel] Jesus in there but he’s injured as well o there’s a few little tweaks that will have to be done.”

Man City are one of the clubs likely to benefit from seeing Odegaard injured at Arsenal and Deeney insists it is Pep Guardiola’s side’s strength in depth which separates them from the rest of the Premier League.

Deeney continued: “For Declan Rice they’ve obviously got Jorginho who can come in. He’s not the same type of player but will keep the ball and he’ll do well in the Champions League games.

“But I just think when you look at it, Arsenal’s XI is very, very good but after that you just start to go, “Oh, if one of the centre-backs gets injured they might be struggling here, if the right-back gets injured it’s not the same”.

“I think that’s where Manchester City are just a level above everybody.”