- Arsenal are six points behind the table toppers and have played a game more
- But Martin Odegaard believes his side have not yet reached their top gear
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Martin Odegaard has delivered a warning to Arsenal’s title rivals, insisting they are still capable of delivering his ‘biggest dream’ this season.
Mikel Arteta’s side trail runaway leaders Liverpool by six points ahead of this weekend’s fixtures and have also played a game more.
They agonisingly fell short last year, missing out to Manchester City by just two points, and were also forced to settle for the runner-up spot again in 2022-23.
But Odegaard, whose campaign has been disrupted by a two-month injury lay-off, believes they can finish strongly again and take the fight to the table toppers.
‘It’s been strange for me,’ Odegaard said. ‘It’s the first time I’ve properly had an injury I was out for a while and it’s something I’m not used to so it was frustrating.
‘For the team, we’re in a good position.
Martin Odegaard believes Arsenal have not reached top gear in their title challenge
Liverpool are six points clear but Odegaard is confident his side will finish strongly again
‘But still I feel like we have another gear, another step that we can take and hopefully we can hit that top form now until the end of the season. It was the same last year.
‘We really hit top form towards the end of the season. Hopefully we can do that again and finish with a good run.
‘I think when you’ve been so close, you get even more hungry, you get even more determination to do it, especially last year when we were there on the last day and really could feel it was that close. I feel the whole squad is ready now to push for it.
‘There are many games to play for. We remember last season, how we ended that season, and there was so much happening towards the end.
‘There is so much to play for still. We just have to stay calm, focus on ourselves, do our job and then hopefully that is enough.
‘I have been dreaming about this since I was a young kid – to win one of the big trophies and especially the Premier League was always something special growing up so this would be the biggest dream.
‘It’s what we work for every day and I think it’s important to stay in the moment and not look too far ahead. Just focus on the day by day and keep going and in the end hopefully we will be rewarded.’
Captain Odegaard admitted that his goal tally has dried up this season, having managed 11 last year and 15 two years ago. This time, he has mustered up just two in all competitions, and he is determined to improve during the run-in.
Odegaard also described winning the Premier League as his ‘biggest dream’
Arsenal narrowly missed out on the top-flight title in the last two campaigns
‘It’s been something that I haven’t been good enough with this season,’ he added.
‘I feel like I’ve been in enough situations and created a lot for others but I haven’t been clinical enough with the finishing.
‘So that’s something that I really want to step up towards the end of the season.’
