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Odegaard knows what it's like to fall short | Getty Images
Martin Odegaard has been speaking ahead of Arsenal’s festive clash with Brighton.
Arsenal skipper Martin Odegaard has been speaking ahead of Saturday’s clash with Brighton as the Gunners look to protect top spot going into 2026. Mikel Arteta’s men are currently two points ahead of Manchester City, and they will be hoping to keep it that way in these final two games of the calendar year.
Arsenal have two games in the space of three days, but both are at home in what will be seen as a welcome boost, with Brighton and then potential title candidates Aston Villa coming to town.
There is excitement aplenty about Arsenal’s title chances this season, with many feeling as though this will finally be the year they end their more than two-decade long title drought. But captain Odegaard has warned that the Gunners camp must not get ahead of themselves.
“You have to stay really focused when there are this many games, and not look too far ahead,” said the Norwegian in his Arsenal programme notes. “The mindset is always the same, and that’s to win. You have to be ruthless, lock in and make sure you have done everything you can. Get ready mentally and physically and be ready to go again and again.
“We play Brighton today, and that’s always a really tough game. We will need to be at our best again. Every game is so important throughout the season and we want to keep building momentum in the league. We relish the fight and know what is at stake, so we have to leave absolutely everything out there and play from the first whistle to the last in every single game.”
Arsenal’s busy preparations
Arteta did not afford his men any days off during the Christmas period, with the Gunners training both Christmas Day and Boxing Day to prepare for the Brighton game. Odegaard added: “We trained on Christmas Day and Boxing Day to prepare for today’s game. I personally love playing football at this time of year. Christmas football is a big part of the tradition of English football, and it’s a busy period, but also a really special one because a lot of people are together. I have my family over to visit as well, so we enjoy it. People get a lot out of watching the games around Christmas too, so hopefully we can make it a special game together today.
“We are used to playing twice a week anyway, and this time of year you don’t really look at the days, it’s just the schedule, and we are feeling good. Before the Everton game there wasn’t a midweek match, and it’s not very often you have a full week of training, so that was good for us too. I don’t think we had done that since the first month of the season, with internationals as well.
“We used that period as a good chance to train and practice together, to go through ideas and work on things as a group. When you play every three days, it’s more about recovery and you can’t do too much else, so we wanted to make the most of it. It also helps you recover too – both your body and your mind. As I said, I love playing every three days, but I also realise you need those moments to refresh as well, and get ready for this really intensive period we are going to have again.”
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