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Former Chelsea forward Chris Sutton recently lavished praise on Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard and claimed that he could win the Premier League Player of the Season award.
The Gunners flexed their muscles in their PL clash against Chelsea on Tuesday, April 23. They scored five goals past the Blues' defense and have cemented themselves as serious title contenders, more so following Liverpool's defeat in the Merseyside derby.
Sutton believes Odegaard is one of the main reasons behind the Gunners' purple patch. While speaking on the It’s All Kicking Off! podcast, he said (via TBR Football):
"Arsenal have had a lot of consistent performers this season but he’s the guy who knits everything together. Not only knits it together, but there’s real guile and quality about his passing, he sees things quicker than most, virtually everybody in the Premier League. But then what a classy lefty he is, the weight of pass, he’s got a goal in him too. He’s had a phenomenal season and could be up there for Player of the Season."
In 44 appearances for the North London club this season, Odegaard has 11 goals and nine assists.
Sutton also threw his weight behind Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka. The Englishman has been a phenomenon for the Gunners ever since his arrival on the scene. While he doesn't score as many goals as an orthodox winger, his off-the-ball movement coupled with his dribbling make him a menace on the pitch.
Sutton believes Saka could be in the running for Player of the Season as well. The 51-year-old believes the personal accolade will go to a player from the team that ultimately lifts the title.
Arsenal in pole position to fight for the Premier League title following win against Chelsea
The Gunners will be backing themselves to finish well in their last four games of the season following a thumping 5-0 win against Chelsea.
While Chelsea were able to keep Arteta's men at bay in the first half, conceding just one goal, they fell flat as soon as the whistle was blown for the remaining 45 minutes of the game.
Leandro Trossard opened the scoring for Arsenal in the fourth minute of the game. Chelsea had several chances through Nicholas Jackson, but the Blues were far from their best in terms of finishing. Furthermore, their best player of the season so far, Cole Palmer, missed the game due to illness, and the impact was visible.
Interestingly, former Chelsea player Kai Havertz, who scored for them in the final of the UEFA Champions League in 2021, bagged a brace for himself. The Gunners also found two goals from an unlikely source, full-back Ben White.
Arteta will be hoping that his side continue their prolific form through the remaining four games of the season. As for defending champions Manchester City, who have played two games less and still have six games left, Arsenal will be hoping that they drop points in their subsequent games.
