Arsenal moment missed against Newcastle United as peculiar Martin Odegaard replacement explained
There was something rather peculiar about Arsenal's matchday squad against Newcastle United at the weekend. With several senior players out injured, it meant Mikel Arteta named two goalkeepers on the substitutes' bench.
This is something that's not too common, particularly for the Gunners in a Premier League fixture. Now, in European competition, it's quite the norm. Already this season we've seen Aaron Ramsdale and Karl Hein look on from the sidelines against PSV Eindhoven, RC Lens and Sevilla.
But to see it at the weekend was something of an eye-opener and it may not have been spotted by too many Arsenal supporters. Yet the explanation is straightforward. As is the case before a game from the top-flight of English football, Arteta was permitted to name a 20-man matchday squad.
Of the Gunners' 25 senior players — as listed on their official website — it was known ahead of kick-off that Thomas Partey, Gabriel Jesus, Emile Smith Rowe and summer signing Jurrien Timber would be playing no part against the Magpies thus ruling them out of the trip to St James' Park.
However,when the Arsenal team news was announced an hour before kick-off at the weekend, there was no sign of captain Martin Odegaard in the starting line-up or on the substitutes' bench as Arteta made three changes to the side that started the 5-0 win over Sheffield United seven days prior.
The midfielder — who scored a consolation as the Gunners crashed out of the Carabao Cup against West Ham United — had been included in every single Premier League matchday squad this season up until the trip up north, starting all but one of the 10 previous fixtures.
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