Arsenal are into their final few games of the Premier League season and while their chances are slim, they are still in the Premier League title race. Mikel Arteta will be hopeful his side can keep current leaders Manchester City honest heading into their remaining fixtures and push them all the way to the end.
A huge challenge for the Gunners is a trip to St. James' Park as they face a Newcastle side that put their top-four hopes to rest last season. The Magpies have been in form this year, transforming themselves into a top-four team themselves under Eddie Howe and a host of new signings.
The away side started nervously in the encounter as the home crowd supported their team, who had been awarded an early penalty kick after Jakub Kiwior was adjudged to have handled the ball as it was sent goalward bound. The referee was given a second chance to look at it on VAR and overturned it.
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Just a moment later at the other end of the pitch, Arsenal took the lead as captain Martin Odegaard took aim from the edge of the box and found the bottom corner. It was a crucial lead for the Gunners to take to help ease their early nerves and for the midfielder, it was a 15th goal of the season, taking him above Kevin De Bruyne's highest tally in a season.
Many fans went onto social media to compare the two after Odegaard's strike with their reaction:
@mistaremi: "My Captain."
@kobiwaynejr: "Martin Odegaard deserves every praise he’s getting. He’s better than any version of De Bruyne."
@pal_bijit: "Arsenal have got a gem of a player in their hands, Martin Odegaard can go on to achieve big things. Very reminiscent of Kevin De Bruyne."
@teqfnbr1: "Is odegaard the second best midfielder in the prem behind Kevin de bruyne?"
@WillianSaliba: "He is single-handedly keeping us in this title charge."
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