Why Martin Odegaard was left out of Arsenal squad for Chelsea

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard was unexpectedly omitted from the matchday squad for the London derby with Chelsea despite having trained during the week and recently returning to first-team action. He had appeared as a second-half substitute in the North London derby with Tottenham last weekend and was pictured at an Arsenal Foundation event, making his absence an hour before kick-off a surprise for travelling supporters.

Manager Mikel Arteta said the decision was a medical one. "Unfortunately Martin is still not feeling totally comfortable with that knee injury, and we decided not to risk him," he told reporters, with the club preferring caution over risking a longer-term setback in a physically demanding fixture.

The knee problem first surfaced in Arsenal's draw with Brentford last month and forced Odegaard to miss the next two matches. The Norway international has struggled to build rhythm this season, missing a total of 15 fixtures in all competitions because of various injuries.

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