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Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard was spotted signing Declan Rice a Gunners' shirt following the 2-2 Premier draw against West Ham United on Sunday (Apri; 16). Rice was a part of the Hammers' team that split points against the Gunners.
Rice is one of the hottest prospects in English football at the moment. The midfielder has been linked with a move away from West Ham in the summer. The likes of Manchester United and Gunners are touted as his potential suitors. Hence, his interaction with Odegaard has given fans something to speculate.
Odegaard, meanwhile, was on the scoresheet for Arsenal. After Gabriel Jesus gave the league leaders the lead, Odegaard made it 2-0 on the tenth minute. Said Benrahma scored a first-half penalty to pull one back for the hosts.
Bukayo Saka, though, missed from the spot in the second half, and Jared Bowen made the Gunners pay for that by equalizing shortly thereafter. The Gunners now have 74 points from 31 games and hold a four-point lead over Manchester City, having played a game more.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta bemoans squandering two-goal lead
The clash against West Ham United was the second game in a row Arsenal squandered a two-goal cushion. They did the same against Liverpool last weekend.
Manager Mikel Arteta was quizzed about the trend repeating in consecutive games. The Spaniard blamed the lack of a 'ruthless' mindset (via the Gunners' website):
"It’s easy to do it from outside the pitch. You have to be a player and feel it there. We have to understand those emotions as well. We needed that ruthless mindset in that moment to go and kill the team. When a team is there for the killing, you have to kill it.
"Today we haven’t done it. When you don’t do that in the Premier League, at some stage, they’re going to turn around and have some momentum. Then you have to defend much better, for example with the second goal. If you don’t, you won’t win the game."
The Gunners return to action on Friday (April 21) at home against Southampton in the Premier League.
