Martin Ødegaard Left Out of Arsenal Squad vs. Chelsea With Knee Discomfort, Arteta Confirms

Arteta presents the decision as a precaution to protect his captain during a stop-start season.

Overview

Odegaard was omitted from the matchday squad after Arteta said he was not fully comfortable with a knee issue and would not be risked.
The captain had returned as a substitute against Tottenham last weekend and provided an assist in the 4-1 win.
His latest absence was reported as his 16th matchday miss of the season across competitions.
Ben White also sat out as he continued to recover from the problem sustained in the North London Derby.
Kai Havertz trained well, was deemed fit, and was named on the bench, with Arteta otherwise keeping the side unchanged as Manchester City’s win reduced the gap at the top to two points.