Arsenal played out a 1-1 Premier League draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge yesterday.
The Gunners went winless for the fourth game running following a frustrating performance on the road.
Mikel Arteta’s side were far from their best in the opening half, and they were lucky not to go behind.
Pedro Neto provided a peach of a cross for Malo Gusto, but he fluffed his lines from close range.
Arsenal eventually broke the deadlock through Gabriel Martinelli in the 60th minute.
They looked on course for a hard-fought win before Neto’s long-range equaliser.
A loss of concentration in midfield allowed the Portuguese to unleash a free shot on goal.
Arsenal created the better chances in the closing stages but could not grab the winner.
Despite the stalemate, there were some positives to carry forward after the international break.
Martin Odegaard made his first start for Arsenal since late August after an ankle ligament injury.
The £30 million signing had just three training sessions and a four-minute cameo at Inter Milan before the derby.
He still managed to play the entire 96 minutes and showed why the Gunners have missed his presence.
The club captain completed 92 percent of his passes, creating four chances for his teammates.
He delivered 100 percent of his crosses and provided a fantastic delivery for Martinelli’s equaliser.
Odegaard also won three duels and made four recoveries in a brilliant all-round showing.
No one expected Odegaard to start yesterday. It was quite a surprise that he lasted the whole game.
Odegaard was not match fit, but has the opportunity to build on his fitness over the next couple of weeks as he won’t be reporting for international duty with Norway.
Stats from Sofascore.com
