Martin Odegaard has been consistently good for Arsenal this season (Picture: Getty)
Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville agree that Martin Odegaard has been Arsenal’s best player this season, but are not so sure he should qualify for being the Premier League’s Young Player of the Season.
The Gunners captain has been excellent this campaign and a huge part of their unlikely Premier League title challenge, which has ultimately fallen short.
The Norwegian has scored 15 league goals in 36 appearances, while also providing seven assists as he proved a consistent threat.
There is competition from the likes of Bukayo Saka and William Saliba, but both the Liverpool and Manchester United legends reckon Odegaard has been the standout performer for Mikel Arteta’s side.
‘I do think Odegaard has been Arsenal’s best player,’ Carragher told Sky Sports.
Neville added: ‘For me, I was surprised and shocked that Odegaard was captain of Arsenal. I was like, where has that come from?
‘I agree with Jamie that he’s been Arsenal’s best player even in this last very difficult period, I think Odegaard has been outstanding, he really has.
‘His quality on the ball, the way in which he plays, I think that he’s a player that fits into Manchester City’s team and just go in there with real ease.
‘I love Saka, I think he plays football like we’d all want to play as a kid, I think he enjoys everything he does and I love him to bits. But I think Odegaard has been the outstanding player for Arsenal this year.’
Odegaard has had his best goal-scoring season by a long stretch (Picture: Getty Images)
The Sky Sports pundits were choosing their Young Player of the Season, with anyone who was 23 when the campaign began qualifying for.
Now 24, Odegaard is eligible for that award, but Carragher wasn’t having it, choosing 21-year-old Saka instead.
‘I just didn’t pick Odegaard because I thought he was too old! 24 does seem too old to be best young player. That’s not a young player, 24,’ Carragher said.
Neville did pick Odegaard for Young Player of the Season, but added: ‘We complain about it every year, the rules on young players being 24.’
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‘I think that he’s a player that fits into Manchester City’s team.’
