In late October 2025, Arsenal faced a stretch that would test their title credentials. Martin Odegaard, the club captain, limped off during the 2-0 win over West Ham United on October 4. He missed Norway’s World Cup qualifying victory over Israel soon after. The diagnosis from scans was a medial collateral ligament injury. It meant Odegaard would not play again until after the November international break.
That was a huge blow. Odegaard was not just the skipper; he was the creative heartbeat of Mikel Arteta’s side. His ability to find pockets of space and link the midfield to the attack gave Arsenal a completely different dimension. Without him, seven matches across three competitions suddenly looked far more difficult.
Arteta did not hide his concern after the West Ham match. He said “I just spoke to him and he is not positive about it. He has got a brace on. We will have to wait for the doctors but we have been very unlucky with that.” The manager added that Arsenal would have to find solutions, but losing their captain was especially painful in attack.
The expectation was that Eberechi Eze would step into the advanced No.10 role. The former Crystal Palace man was not a direct copy of Odegaard, but he had the creativity and flair to carry some of the load. For Eze, it was also a chance to show he could run a title-chasing side through a difficult period.
The seven matches Odegaard missed were spread across the Premier League, Champions League, and Carabao Cup. Each one carried its own risk.
| # | Match | Competition | Key Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal vs Fulham | Premier League | Saturday evening clash at Craven Cottage; Eze likely to start in the No.10 role |
| 2 | Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid | Champions League | Diego Simeone’s side visited the Emirates in a tough European test |
| 3 | Arsenal vs Crystal Palace | Premier League | Sunday 2pm kick-off on October 26; Eze relished facing his old club |
| 4 | Arsenal vs Brighton | Carabao Cup | Fourth round tie at home on Wednesday, October 29; a match Odegaard may have been rested for anyway |
| 5 | Arsenal vs Burnley | Premier League | Tricky away trip to Turf Moor against Scott Parker’s Clarets |
| 6 | Arsenal vs Slavia Prague | Champions League | Long trip to Czechia; Arteta would have preferred his captain available |
| 7 | Arsenal vs Sunderland | Premier League | Final match before the international break; a reunion with former Arsenal man Granit Xhaka |
Looking at that list, the Champions League fixtures stood out. Facing Atletico Madrid at home without the captain was one thing. Traveling to Slavia Prague later in the run was another. Those are the types of nights where composure and leadership matter. Odegaard brought both.
The domestic schedule was not much kinder. Fulham away under the lights, Crystal Palace at home, then Burnley and Sunderland on the road. The Carabao Cup tie against Brighton perhaps offered a brief opportunity to rest some senior players, but the fixture still had to be won if Arsenal wanted to keep their cup run alive.
For Arteta, the challenge was rotation. The squad had depth, but replacing Odegaard’s unique skill set was impossible. The hope was that Eze and others could share the creative burden. The run would also test Arsenal’s defensive structure, because without Odegaard’s pressing and positioning, the whole midfield shape could shift.
From a 2026 perspective, that seven-game stretch remains a useful reminder of how much Arsenal relied on their captain. It forced other players to grow. It also highlighted the importance of keeping key players fit during the busiest part of the season. The November international break could not come soon enough for the Gunners. After that, the plan was simple: welcome Odegaard back and push on with the rest of the campaign.