Arsenal experienced yet another injury setback in their Premier League match against Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon, as club captain Martin Odegaard was knocked down after a scramble in the area. The Gunners were already one of the teams with the most injuries last season, and this trend appears to be continuing in the early stages of the 2025/26 season.
Following a Noni Madueke corner, the ball dropped to the edge of the box, where Jurrien Timber and Morgan Gibbs-White collided, causing the midfielder to fall to the ground. Watch the incident below.
Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka are also injured, and William Saliba was forced off in Mikel Arteta’s team’s most recent match against Liverpool before the international break. Odegaard, who had just recently recovered from a minor setback, was substituted in the first half at the Emirates Stadium, and an injury expert has now determined how long he may be out for.
Injury Expert Delivers Verdict on Martin Odegaard’s Setback
Physio Scout, an X account that focuses in football ailments, believes the Norwegian international has experienced a recurrence of his prior shoulder issue, which only sidelined him temporarily. However, a second injury in the same region raises the possibility of a prolonged healing period. He wrote (read the entire post below):
“Direct contact to the point of the shoulder, with the arm pinned by his torso, raises concerns of an AC joint damage. His previous shoulder injury occurred using the same technique and shoulder.
Expected Recovery Time: A low-grade AC joint sprain lasts less than two weeks, while a grade 2/3 sprain takes 2-4 weeks.
“Previously, he returned in less than a week because low AC joint sprains are primarily a pain management issue. However, injury to the same shoulder raises extra concerns and may require a longer recovery time. Scans will be required to confirm.
His change, which sent Ethan Nwaneri on, came only moments after Arsenal’s best run of the game, when Mikel Merino’s point-blank shot was saved by Matz Sels.
The Gunners did not have to wait long to break through Forest’s stubborn defence, as Martin Zubimendi scored his first goal for the club with a thunderous volley from outside the box to give Arsenal a one-goal lead at halftime, though how Odegaard’s absence will affect them in the long run remains to be seen.
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