Captain Martin Ødegaard rates West Ham ‘strong’ ahead of Arsenal’s crucial encounter

Ahead of today’s game against West Ham United, Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard reveals that the squad is looking forward to a brilliant outing against a fellow Londoner.

The Norwegian says the games at this time of year always have a special feeling as a win for the Gunners would propel them back to the top of the Premier League table.

The north London side was displaced by Liverpool with just one point after the Jorgen Klopp-led squad overpowered Burnley away from home on Wednesday.

Speaking with Arsenal.com, Martin Ødegaard highlights the strength of West Ham while rating the club as a strong side in tonight’s encounter.

“We’re all looking forward to a brilliant atmosphere here tonight as we take on West Ham. The games at this time of year always have a special feeling.

“We played West Ham on Boxing Day last year, the first game back after the World Cup break, and it was a really good game for us, with a great atmosphere. West Ham have shown again this season how strong they are. They are solid defensively, good on the counters and they have a lot of physical qualities too.

“Also they have individual players who can make the difference on their own. Players like Ward-Prowse, Paqueta, Kudus – lots of them – and when you play a team like that, it’s really important that you are fully prepared, knowing what their strengths are and how to try to stop them.

“We spent a lot of time on that with the coaches and analysts to come up with plans, and then it’s down to us to execute them on the day. We have to understand our roles, be focused in training and in meetings beforehand. Basically, we all know that if we can do what we’re told to do on the pitch, it will turn out well for us! That’s what we focus on and then it’s down to what we cando in the game.”