Martin Odegaard says he is back to full fitness and feeling at his best after scoring in each of Arsenal’s opening two matches of the 2026-27 season.
The Arsenal captain followed his goal in last Sunday’s 3-0 Community Shield victory over Manchester City by scoring in Friday’s 3-0 win against Coventry City, as the Premier League champions began their title defence in convincing fashion.
It was the first time Odegaard had scored in consecutive matches for Arsenal since December 2023. His finish against Coventry was not entirely controlled, with a scuffed effort taking him past goalkeeper Carl Rushworth, but it completed another impressive evening for Mikel Arteta’s side.
Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka had already put Arsenal in command by scoring inside the opening 23 minutes. Coventry struggled to create opportunities throughout the match, managing only one shot on target and registering an expected goals figure of 0.28. Arsenal recorded 1.8 xG.
Odegaard’s two goals in 2026-27 already exceed his total for the whole of last season, when he scored once in all competitions. The Norway international impressed at the World Cup as his country reached the quarter-finals, following a campaign in which injuries and a lack of continuity limited his contribution.
The midfielder made 36 appearances for Arsenal in 2025-26, starting 23 games. His 1,983 minutes on the pitch ranked only 16th among the club’s players.
Arsenal won the Premier League and finished runners-up in the Champions League last season, but Odegaard said he had found it difficult to take full satisfaction from the team’s achievements because of his own fitness problems.
“Last season was a big struggle for me. I had too many injuries and weird situations and bad luck. I could never find a rhythm,” Odegaard told Sky Sports.
“It’s hard when you are in and out and not 100% fit. It was hard, but I feel good now. My body is good after a good World Cup and pre-season. I’m feeling 100%.”
The victory over Coventry matched Arsenal’s biggest home win in their opening Premier League match of a season. They also began the 1994-95 campaign with a 3-0 victory against Manchester City.
“The first game is always a bit nervy,” Odegaard added. “They played well, they gave us a good fight and a good battle.
“It was key to get the first goal and we controlled the game. It was solid.
“We looked good. We could have created and scored more. We can be more precise and sharper around the box. It’s a good performance, but we can do even better.
“The quality in the squad is unbelievable. You can put anyone on the pitch and they can perform at the highest level. We push one another to get better.”
Arsenal’s result extended the unbeaten run of reigning Premier League champions against promoted sides to 33 matches. Champions have won 26 and drawn seven of those games since Fulham defeated Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool 1-0 in March 2021.
Arsenal’s next league fixture is away to Aston Villa on 31 August. Earlier on Friday, the club announced the signing of centre-back Ezri Konsa from the Villans.
