Martin Odegaard expects there to be ‘heat’ on the pitch when Arsenal meet Manchester City on Sunday — but doesn’t believe it will affect his friendship with Erling Haaland.
The escalating rivalry between the sides follows September’s match, when John Stones’ 97th-minute strike earned City a 2-2 draw. Tempers frayed at the final whistle, when Haaland squared up to Mikel Arteta and told him to ‘stay humble’. In the aftermath, Stones and Bernardo Silva accused Arsenal of time-wasting and ‘dirty’ tactics in their desperation to hold on to a 2-1 lead with 10 men, following Leandro Trossard’s red card.
The second-placed Gunners go into Sunday’s match knowing defeat would leave City just three points behind them. And they may be without keeper David Raya, who missed the 2-1 victory over Girona on Wednesday and is struggling with a muscle issue.
‘It is normal when you play these games that there is a big rivalry,’ said Odegaard. ‘You are competing and you want to be the best. That’s how it should be and there should be a little bit of heat. A lot of the players know each other from the national teams — England, Brazil, me with Erling — so on the pitch and off the pitch, it is a bit different.
‘When we are on the pitch, it’s a good battle. After the last two seasons, when we’ve been fighting against each other for the title,
I think that’s a natural thing. With the history, it’s maybe more special, this match, but it is just three points and that’s the goal.’
Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard enjoy a close friendship and flourish playing with one another for Norway
The Arsenal skipper does not expect his relationship with the Man City forward to be affected by the heavyweight contest
Haaland told Mikel Arteta to ‘stay humble’ after Man City’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal in September
On Friday, Arteta insisted he does not hold a grudge against Haaland following their confrontation.
‘I don’t take anything that happens on the pitch personally,’ he said. ‘Ever since I was a player, it stays there and it’s full of emotions and I just leave it aside and move on.’
The tension has also not affected Arsenal captain Odegaard’s relationship with Norway team-mate Haaland, who he considers a close friend. The pair are in touch on WhatsApp and talk away from football.
‘We are good friends,’ said Odegaard. ‘Him (Haaland) and a few of the other boys from the national team, we have a little group chat, so we stay in touch and we speak every now and then. Not about football, just about random things.
‘We haven’t spoken about the game, but he is a good friend, so I speak to him.’
Asked about the striker’s ‘stay humble’ jibe, Odegaard added:
‘In football games like this, the emotions are so high and the adrenaline is there and everything.
‘So that’s something that can happen on the pitch and then when you walk off the pitch and you are done with it. It is not something I think about much.’
Pep Guardiola’s side come into the fixture off a confidence-boasting wins over Chelsea and Club Brugge
The Arsenal No 1 goalkeeper missed the club’s clash with Girona in midweek through injury
Earlier this season, the 26-year-old suffered an ankle injury on international duty and was sidelined for September and October.
Arsenal badly missed Odegaard’s creativity but even when he has been on the pitch in this campaign, the goals have dried up.
After hitting 15 in 2022-23 and a further eight last season, he has only scored once in the Premier League this time around. He knows more is required.
‘It’s something that I haven’t been good enough with,’ he said.
‘I feel like I’ve been in enough situations and created a lot for others but I haven’t been clinical enough with my finishing.
‘That’s something that I really want to step up towards the end of the season.’
