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Arsenal attacking midfielder Martin Odegaard has come under criticism following his side\u2019s defeat to Manchester City, with images emerging of the Gunners captain not being happy with his team-mate Gabriel Martinelli at the Etihad Stadium.<\/p>\n
Man City<\/strong> beat Arsenal 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League on Sunday to enhance their chances of winning the title this season.<\/p>\n Pep Guardiola\u2019s side are only three points behind leaders Arsenal<\/strong> in second place and have a game in hand.<\/p>\n Although Arsenal\u2019s performance against Man City was encouraging, it was the home side that picked up all three points from the potential title-decider.<\/p>\n Well-known journalist Henry Winter<\/em> believes that it was Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta’s<\/strong> substitutions that needed to be criticised.<\/p>\n The English football expert, who has 1.1million followers on X<\/em>believes that Arteta should have taken off Martin Odegaard instead of Eberechi Eze.<\/p>\n READ: Five-year net spend table: Arsenal \u00a3675m spending dwarves Man City<\/strong><\/p>\n Leandro Trossard came in place of Eze in the 74th minute, while attacking midfielder Odegaard finished the game.<\/p>\n Winter wrote on X <\/em>at 6:55pm on April 19: \u201cNever mind the symbolics. Arsenal lit a fire at their training ground as a motivational image.<\/p>\n \u201cBut it was Manchester City who brought the fire to the game. City dared more and deservedly won. Better principles \u2013 more attacking. Better team \u2013 more leaders. Better manager \u2013 more adventurous and experienced.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd so it\u2019s advantage a fired-up City in the title race. Pep Guardiola and his big-game hunters can smell wounded foe, can sense victory will be theirs.<\/p>\n \u201cCity have big players relishing the pressure in the biggest game of the season. Bernardo Silva outstanding, small of frame but huge of heart. He\u2019ll be hugely missed as ball-winning player, creative player, team player and role model.<\/p>\n READ MORE: Mikel Arteta sack inevitable as \u2018process becomes a loop\u2019 at Arsenal<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cRodri commanding. Haaland pouncing when opportunity knocked. Cherki dribbling and dazzling. O\u2019Reilly so young but so mature in his positioning and decision-making. Guehi a top defender and leader, such a massively influential signing in January.<\/p>\n \u201cArsenal? Second again? They need more than fire now. They need City to slip up. Guardiola\u2019s side do still have to go Everton and Bournemouth but they have the belief and the momentum. They know the way to the finishing line, it\u2019s a muscle memory.<\/p>\n \u201cArsenal tried hard. They were gritty, good pressing first half, some promising counters but they dropped off, invited City on and Pep\u2019s men need no second invitation.<\/p>\n \u201cArsenal invested heavily this season, and will doubtless do so again this summer, as the years of hurt lengthens since the Invincibles. Arteta needs more flair as much as fire.<\/p>\n \u201cHe also needs a re-think on his approach. His subs will come under scrutiny. Arteta inexplicably kept the fading Odegaard on.<\/p>\n \u201cOdegaard embodies Arsenal\u2019s nice, neat football but doesn\u2019t hurt elite opponents enough. Arteta could have moved Eze central not taken him off.<\/p>\n \u201cArsenal will argue fine lines, Havertz had a huge chance at the death, but were fortunate that Gabriel was not sent off for pushing his forehead into Haaland\u2019s.<\/p>\n \u201cIf\/when the fire is fully extinguished, the Arsenal inquest will be long and painful. It sounds like it\u2019s already begun amongst their fans, their fire snuffed out by City. #MCIARS\u201d<\/p>\n It was not one of Odegaard\u2019s best games, but it would be harsh to criticise the former Real Madrid attacking midfielder for his performance against Man City.<\/p>\n The 27-year-old dropped deep to initiate attacks and also pushed against the Man City press.<\/p>\n Odegaard, who missed Arsenal\u2019s previous two games, due to injury, gave four key passes, too, and the Norway international attacking midfielder did have an inkling about the second goal from Man City.<\/p>\n As AFTV<\/em> has pointed out with images, Odegaard urged his Arsenal team-mate, Gabriel Martinelli,<\/strong> to mark Nico O\u2019Reilly, which the Brazilian winger did not heed his advice and Man City eventually scored.<\/p>\n AFTV noted on at X<\/em> at 6:46pm on April 19: \u2018Odegaard pointed to Nico O\u2019Reilly, asking him to be marked by Martinelli.<\/p>\n \u2018Martinelli ignored and left Nico O\u2019Reilly open, leading to Arsenal conceding the winning goal. Martin Odegaard obviously very frustrated.<\/p>\n \u2018Say whatever you want, Odegaard deserves every bit to be our captain. Outstanding vision.\u2019<\/p>\n READ NEXT: 16 Conclusions from Man City 2-1 Arsenal: Cherki, Bernardo, Haaland, O\u2019Reilly, bottle<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/div>\n