Arteta believes the Norwegian playmaker can turn big games, and Sunday’s north
London derby is certainly one of those
![Martin Ødegaard may be the big-game player Mikel Arteta needs at Arsenal | Nick Ames](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/7b8b73264c4c7338f7bf8e3920164e2751c7bf7f/136_0_3364_2019/master/3364.jpg?width=1200&height=630&quality=85&auto=format&fit=crop&overlay-align=bottom%2Cleft&overlay-width=100p&overlay-base64=L2ltZy9zdGF0aWMvb3ZlcmxheXMvdGctZGVmYXVsdC5wbmc&enable=upscale&s=beead64716382a62491e28855f77d611)
Arsenal may be embracing the new but they have, at least, signed someone with form in bending a north London derby to his will. In March they were undeservedly losing to Érik Lamela’s mindboggling rabona at the Emirates Stadium when, as half-time neared and predictable neuroses hovered, Martin Ødegaard swept in a left-footed equaliser from 14 yards.
It was not the cleanest of finishes but nobody cared:
Arsenal had been let down that morning when the captain, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, reported late, but their 22-year-old loanee had pointed the way instead.