Arsenal suffers a double blow of bad news

Martin Ødegaard had to exit the field in the first half of the West Ham game due to an injury. At the same time, Declan Rice was sidelined with a back problem.

On the evening of October 4th (Vietnam time), Arsenal secured an easy 2-0 victory at home against West Ham. However, the joy of the Gunners' fans was dampened as several key players suffered injuries one after another.

Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard appeared to have an issue with his left knee. He stayed on the ground receiving medical attention, tried to continue playing, but shortly after, the injury recurred, forcing him to leave the pitch.

This marks the third time Ødegaard has had to leave during the first half of Arsenal’s home Premier League matches this season. Against West Ham, he lasted only 30 minutes before being replaced by Martin Zubimendi—8 minutes less than when he left the field against Leeds in August. Earlier, in the win over Nottingham Forest, the Norwegian midfielder played just 18 minutes.

Additionally, Ødegaard had a shoulder problem that caused him to miss the draw against Manchester City last month. Currently, Arsenal is facing an injury crisis as Noni Madueke and Kai Havertz are sidelined long-term, while key players like Bukayo Saka and William Saliba have missed matches due to fitness issues. Defender Piero Hincapié is also out with a groin injury.

Arsenal’s worries continued into the second half when Declan Rice also had to leave for similar reasons. The English midfielder suffered a back problem, immediately went down, and appeared to be in severe pain.

The extent of Rice’s injury is still unclear, but if he needs a short recovery period, it may not be too bad news for Arsenal. The upcoming international break provides a good opportunity for the Gunners’ key players to rest and recover before the season intensifies.

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