Martin Odegaard explains new basketball goal celebration with Arsenal teammate Bukayo Saka

01/21/2023 02:53 PM

Martin Odegaard has finally explained the reason behind his and Bukayo Saka’s new basketball celebration.

The Arsenal captain is currently in a rich run of form, underlined by another spellbinding display in last weekend’s north London derby win over Tottenham.

A first league win at the home of their fierce rivals since 2014 helped the Gunners underline their title-winning credentials but they face another acid test against in-form Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

Odegaard will be hoping to showcase his new basketball celebration again as he did last weekend and at the Amex Stadium during the New Year’s Eve victory at Brighton.

‘For myself, I was really happy to score again against Tottenham,’ said the Norway international. ‘I’ve said many times that I want to help the team with goals, to create chances and do all the things players in my position need to do.

‘I don’t know if I’m shooting more than I used to, I’m always just looking for the best option.

‘It’s not like I feel like I have to shoot all the time, but maybe when it’s the right thing to do now, in some moments you just have this instinct. You don’t think, you just do it.

‘The confidence you get from scoring goals gives you this ability to just go for it. To explain the basketball celebration, it’s just something we have talked about in the team.

‘We have some principles in the team and the way we work and there is one thing we do that we think is similar to basketball. We do a lot together that is part of our game, so we were talking about that and decided to do it as a celebration. We enjoyed it after the game too!’

Arsenal will be looking for revenge over a United side who beat the Gunners at Old Trafford back in September.

Recalling that game, Odegaard added: ‘They’re doing well, but we must also remember the match at Old Trafford earlier in the season.

‘I felt that day we controlled most of the game and I felt we deserved a better result in the end. This time we want to show some more discipline, to control the game for 90 minutes and not just small periods.

‘It will be a tough game but we’re ready for it and we are feeling confident.’

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