'No way': Darren Bent urges Mikel Arteta not to start £240k-a-week Arsenal player vs Man City

09/17/2024 03:15 AM

Arsenal secured their biggest win of the season to date on Sunday with a 1-0 win against north London rivals Tottenham.

With no Martin Odegaard or Declan Rice in the midfield, Mikel Arteta’s tactical skills were stretched to the max with the former Manchester City coach putting out a masterclass of a plan that helped Arsenal bag three massive points.

With City coming up next for Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium, claiming a first win in over ten years in the blue half of Manchester would be nothing short of huge for the Gunners in their bid to win this season’s Premier League title.

Yet Darren Bent has suggested that Arsenal shouldn’t start one of their key players against City.

Arsenal told to rest Martin Odegaard against Manchester City

Speaking on TalkSport, the pundit urged Arsenal not to start Odegaard against City, with the midfielder still recovering from an ankle injury picked on international duty, with Bent saying: "If he is not fit or even if he is 20%, don't want to risk him. No way. It's a long season."

The £35m midfielder has been a revelation for Arsenal since joining from Real Madrid in 2021, with Odegaard now one of the best players on the planet and the captain of the Gunners, with the 25-year-old one of Arteta’s most important figures.

Earning a reported £240,000-a-week, Odegaard’s influence at Arsenal is nothing short of massive, with many fans fearing the worst on Sunday with the Norwegian international out against Tottenham, such is the playmaker’s quality and importance to the Gunners.

However, the North London Derby win has reassured fans that Arsenal can pull off big wins without key players, and with Rice coming back into the squad to face City, resting Odegaard could be the right move from Arteta heading into Sunday’s massive Premier League tie.

Arsenal can’t afford to rush Odegaard from injury

Arsenal missing their captain and star midfielder for the biggest game of the Premier League is a blow no supporter wanted to experience this season, yet the Gunners simply can’t afford to rush Odegaard back.

As stated by Bent, the season has only just started and Arsenal can’t afford to lose out on Odegaard for even longer if the former Madrid man is brought back too quickly and suffers an injury setback that could have been avoided.

Indeed, Odegaard is too important for Arsenal’s long-term plans to be risked against City, and all signs seem to point towards the midfielder being rested until he is fully fit to return to Premier League action.