Arsenal pair Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice reveled in the club’s north London derby victory over Tottenham Hotspur, having been forced to miss the game.
A second half goal from a free kick by center Gabriel Magalhaes decided the match, in which the Gunners allowed Spurs to dominate the ball and have more attempts on goal.
Odegaard was ruled out through injury, having succumbed to it an ankle problem while on duty with Norway during the international break, while Rice was serving a one-game suspension due to the Controversial red card it was on display during the recent clash with Brighton & Hove Albion.
Both players celebrated the victory, which was a Arsenal’s third consecutive win at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and kept Mikel Arteta’s side within two points of Premier League leaders and reigning champions Manchester City on social media.
Reposting a picture of Gabriel holding the badge, originally shared by Arsenal on Instagram, Odegaard added three heart emojis. Rice did the same but also said, “I love this team.”
Arsenal will return to Rice on Thursday when they travel to Italy to face Atalanta for the first matchday of this season’s new Champions League league stage.
Odegaard remains a slight doubt, though. “We still have to wait and see,” was Arteta’s assessment after the derby, suggesting there is a chance the Norwegian midfielder may not be available to play there either.
Bukayo Saka raises an additional injury concernforced off in the closing stages against Spurs and replaced by teenage prodigy Ethan Nwaneri. “I don’t know exactly what it is, but he couldn’t continue,” Arteta said of Saka’s situation.
After returning from Europe, Arsenal travel to Manchester to face City on September 22.
