Arsenal captain breaks silence on injury fears ahead of derby crunch

Martin Odegaard has alleviated fears regarding his fitness for the North London derby, confirming his knee injury is "not too bad" despite lasting damage from the Brentford draw.

The influential midfielder was seen limping away from the Gtech Community Stadium following a frustrating 1-1 stalemate on Thursday.

Although he completed the full 90 minutes, concerns were raised regarding his availability for a pivotal week in the title race.

Title race implications

Mikel Arteta’s side currently hold a slender four-point cushion over relentless chasers Manchester City.

Before the showdown with their local rivals, the Gunners face a trip to Molineux on Wednesday to potentially re-establish a seven-point lead.

Sunday’s clash at Tottenham carries extra intrigue, with the hosts set to be led by Igor Tudor following the dismissal of Thomas Frank.

Odegaard explains injury scare

While the Norwegian playmaker remains a major doubt for the FA Cup tie against Wigan, he addressed the issue directly in the match-day programme.

"I picked up a bit of an injury when they [Brentford] scored their goal, but hopefully it’s not too bad."

The former Real Madrid talent explained the mechanics of the collision that caused the scare.

"I tried to clear the ball as it came down, but instead kicked into the player a bit, and ended up over-stretching my leg, which pinched the knee."

"I was able to carry on, but on Friday morning it was very sore, so I was worried of course, but thankfully it looks like it’s not too bad."