Martin Odegaard reached an Arsenal milestone and drew level with one club legend as he shone against Luton Town.
Martin Odegaard made a match-winning impact for Arsenal against Luton Town on Wednesday night.
The Gunners’ club captain kept his place in an otherwise much-changed starting XI, and his presence allowed Mikel Arteta’s side to maintain a measure of cohesion in the final third of the pitch.
The 25-year-old opened the scoring in the 24th minute, as he met a Kai Havertz pass and whipped a well-placed strike into the bottom corner with the outside of his foot, setting the north London club on their way to a 2-0 win over the Hatters. Havertz also reached a personal milestone in this moment.
This strike marked Odegaard’s tenth of the season so far, in all competitions, and he has also chipped in with seven assists.
Martin Odegaard matches Arsenal Invincible’s record v Luton
This goal also brought up a personal milestone for the former Real Madrid man. As reported by Orbinho on X, Odegaard has now moved level with Nwankwo Kanu when it comes to Premier League goals for Arsenal, as he now has thirty to his name.
Odegaard reached this figure in 114 top flight outings for Arsenal since he initially joined the club on loan in January 2021. Meanwhile, it took Kanu 119 games to reach the same tally.
The Nigerian striker spent five years on the books at Arsenal between 1999 and 2004, and in that time became something of a club icon as he developed a super sub reputation.
Kanu won two Premier League titles and two FA Cups in his time at Arsenal, and in 2004 cemented his legacy at the club as he was a part of the famous ‘Invincibles’ squad who went through an entire league campaign unbeaten on their way to being crowned champions.
READ MORE: Everything to know about Arsenal star Martin Odegaard from girlfriend to £65k car
Martin Odegaard now aiming for Arsenal greatness
Odegaard could soon secure his own place amongst the pantheon of Arsenal greats if he is able to lead the Gunners to a Premier League title triumph this season. He certainly plays like someone desperate to do just that, as he demonstrates an extraordinary work ethic in each and every match. Odegaard has been described as a “perfect” Arsenal captain due to the example he sets on the pitch.
Arsenal will need more goals and assists from Odegaard in the coming weeks. The pressure is now on Arteta’s side to win every game as the title race heads towards the finish line with still so little to separate the top three. The skipper will need to step up and deliver in this period.