“He has become the best in that position” - Gary Neville salutes ‘mesmerising’ Arsenal star

Manchester United legend Gary Neville has lavished praise on Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard, describing the Norway international as 'mesmerising'.

The creative midfielder pulled the strings during the Gunners' 5-0 win against Chelsea on Tuesday (April 23), during which he bagged two assists. Even in a losing cause, Odegaard put together an impressive display in the north Londoners' 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa on April 14.

Praising the team's skipper for his form of late, Neville said on his podcast (via Sky Sports):

"Arsenal were very good against Chelsea, excellent in fact. They were outstanding in that first 25 minutes against Aston Villa when we were there a couple of weeks ago.

"Some of the football and Martin Odegaard is mesmerising at the moment. He has become the best in that position in terms of the way he plays."

Even against Aston Villa, Odegaard made two key passes, managed an 86% passing accuracy, and successfully completed three of his five attempted dribbles. Overall, he's been brilliant this season, bagging 11 goals and nine assists from 44 appearances across competitions.

He will certainly play a crucial role from now until the end of the season if Arsenal are to win the Premier League. Currently, the Gunners are sitting top of the league standings, a point ahead of second-placed Manchester City, who have played a game fewer.

---

Gary Neville calls Arsenal's upcoming match 'big moment'

Gary Neville

Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville believes that Arsenal's upcoming north London derby against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday (April 28) has a lot riding on it.

Liverpool recently suffered a 2-0 loss to Everton, their local rivals, which could have put an end to their title hopes this season (April 24). The Reds are now three points behind the Gunners with four games to go.

Speaking on his podcast, Neville said (via Sky Sports):

"Arsenal's big moment of the season is this game on Sunday. The north London derby is a game I've loved over the years. It is probably my favorite game that I have commentated on for Sky in my 11 years doing it. It always seems to give us something and I've enjoyed it a lot."

Despite the Gunners' incredible form in 2024, many believe that anything can happen on derby day. When these two teams met earlier in the season at the Emirates, they played out a 2-2 draw.