Martin Odegaard talks up Arsenal’s double chances ahead of Champions League return
The Gunners have won five successive Premier League games to start 2024 and face Porto in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday
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Your support makes all the difference.Martin Odegaard says Arsenal must harness their growing momentum as they target a Premier League and Champions League double.
Saturday’s 5-0 win at Burnley meant the Gunners have kicked off a calendar year with five straight league wins for the first time in their history.
Arteta’s second-placed side are two points behind leaders Liverpool and now turn their attention to European action.
Arsenal face Porto in Wednesday’s Champions League last-16 first leg and skipper Odegaard believes they are capable of going for the double.
Asked if they have the squad to compete on two fronts, the Norway international said: “That’s what we want to do, we want to compete in every competition we play in.
“Of course Champions League is a massive one, so we are excited for it.
“We just want to focus on ourselves each game, keep improving every game and we will see how it goes.
“We are in a good moment now. We have to use that momentum, keep building on it and we will see.”
Arsenal have won five on the trot and scored 21 in the process, having followed up last weekend’s 6-0 win at West Ham with a five-star performance at Burnley.
“I think that’s what we were missing a little bit in the last few weeks before the break – we created so much but we didn’t score the goals,” Odegaard said.
“But within the last few games, we’ve been brilliant in front of goal.
“We get so many people in the box and so many situations around the box. So yeah, it’s been brilliant.”
The Champions League is a massive one, so we are excited for it.
Odegaard’s opener set the tone at Turf Moor, where Bukayo Saka then scored a brace before Leandro Trossard and Kai Havertz rounded things off.
That freescoring form has quietened those that had called for Arsenal to buy an out-and-out striker in January.
Summer signing Havertz, who scored his sixth goal for Arsenal on Saturday, said: “I think we all trust ourselves and we know what quality we all have.
“You know, we have to give trust to each other and that’s what we’ve done.
“It’s not only because of the strikers that you don’t score goals, defenders can score goals for us and stuff like that. That’s so important.
“You know it’s not the end now. We keep being focused because I know you guys after one game without five goals you’re going to write we need a striker!
“So, we just work hard, enjoy ourselves on the pitch and that’s what we did today.”
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