Martin Odegaard Insists Arsenal Are Premier League Contenders, Forest Humble Brighton

As the season approaches its final stretch, the Arsenal captain, Martin Odegaard, has stressed that his side are Premier League title contenders.

Arsenal is in second place in the Premier League table, six points behind leaders Liverpool, although the Reds still have one game in hand. Despite this, Odegaard remains optimistic, asserting that his team has “another gear” to achieve.

“We’re in a solid position,” he stated in an interview with The Mirror. “However, I believe there’s another level we can reach, and I hope we can find that top form as we head into the final months of the season.”

Odegaard recalled similarities to last year, where the team peaked in performance towards the season’s end, hoping to replicate that success now.

Meanwhile, earlier today in the Premier League, Chris Wood showcased his skills by scoring a hat-trick as Nottingham Forest bounced back impressively from a heavy defeat at Bournemouth.

They delivered a dominant performance at the City Ground, securing their largest-ever Premier League victory with a 7-0 win over Brighton.

The match began brightly for Forest when Lewis Dunk inadvertently turned Morgan Gibbs-White’s low cross into his net in the 12th minute. Gibbs-White followed this by scoring a glancing header from an Anthony Elanga corner, and just after the half-hour mark, Wood netted his 15th Premier League goal of the season with another header, marking a personal best for him in a single campaign.

Brighton nearly found the net before half-time, with Yankuba Minteh having a one-on-one opportunity thwarted by Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels and Danny Welbeck’s close attempt striking the underside of the crossbar.

Seeking to shift momentum, Brighton’s manager, Fabian Hurzeler, made three substitutions at halftime, but Wood was quick to extend Forest’s lead to 4-0 in the 64th minute by tapping in yet another assist from Elanga.

Shortly after, Tariq Lamptey’s foul on Gibbs-White in the area allowed Wood to complete his hat-trick from the penalty spot, becoming the first Forest player since Nigel Clough in 1987 to achieve this feat at home.

Neco Williams added a sixth goal after seizing on a loose ball within the area, and Jota Silva capped the scoring in added time with a low shot following a misplaced pass from Brighton’s Bart Verbruggen.

This resounding victory lifts Forest to a tie on points with second-placed Arsenal, who are set to face Manchester City on Sunday, while Brighton remain in ninth place.