Martin Odegaard’s afternoon against Leeds ended early after the captain landed awkwardly on his shoulder, raising immediate concern over his availability for Arsenal’s trip to Anfield next weekend.
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 23: Martin Odegaard of Arsenal is substituted off with an injury for Ethan Nwaneri of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Leeds United at Emirates Stadium on August 23, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images
The captain landed awkwardly just 15 minutes into the match and though he attempted to continue, he was visibly in discomfort. After another 20 minutes he signalled to the bench, unable to move his right arm freely, and was replaced in the 38th minute by 18-year-old Ethan Nwaneri.
The early indications pointed to a shoulder problem, leaving Arsenal with an anxious wait on the severity of the injury and whether he will be fit for next weekend’s trip to Anfield.
After the game, Mikel Arteta said, “Martin looks like a shoulder, so he will have a scan tomorrow to understand how bad it is.”
Ødegaard’s withdrawal came on a day when Arsenal otherwise looked unstoppable. Jurriën Timber opened the scoring on 34 minutes, Saka doubled the lead in first-half stoppage time, and Ødegaard’s replacement Nwaneri helped the Gunners cut Leeds apart at will. Timber struck again early in the second half before Viktor Gyökeres scored his first Arsenal goal from a Riccardo Calafiori assist.
Gyökeres later converted a stoppage-time penalty won by 15-year-old Max Dowman, who impressed with his direct running after being brought on with half an hour still to play.
With Bukayo Saka also forced off in the second half with a hamstring issue, Arsenal’s comfortable win became a reminder of the bad luck that can undermine even the most commanding performances.
Timber’s goals, Gyökeres’s brace, Eze’s arrival and Dowman’s emergence should have dominated the headlines. Instead, as supporters filed out of the Emirates, the question on everyone’s lips was the same: how bad is Ødegaard’s injury, and what does it mean for Liverpool next week?
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