Keown hails Odegaard but flags missed chance as Gyokeres stays silent

Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown praised Martin Odegaard after the Gunners’ 1‑0 victory over Napoli on Wednesday, but singled out a teammate for “missing an opportunity”, insisting the lapse did not involve Viktor Gyokeres. Martin Odegaard, the Gunners captain, scored in the 75th minute to secure all three points for Mikel Arteta’s side. The Gunners dominated the game, registering 26 shots while Napoli managed only five. Their expected‑goals tally stood at 4.05, underscoring a night where creation outstripped finishing. Keown noted that Odegaard’s strike was the decisive factor in a match that otherwise saw Arsenal miss several chances. The Gunners captain proved decisive as his strike in the 75th minute secured all three points for a Mikel Arteta’s profligate side.

Keown’s midfield critique

Viktor Gyokeres earned his first start of the season but failed to cement a place in the starting XI, Merino’s return, saying “I thought Mikel Merino coming back into midfield missed an opportunity tonight” and adding that the midfielder appeared a little rusty on his first start. Keown praised the overall drive, determination and hunger of the side despite those individual lapses. He also wasn’t convinced by Mikel Merino’s display.

Former England star Joe Cole echoed the praise, calling Odegaard “at the peak of his powers” and saying the Norwegian “looks like the player we admired 18 months ago”. Cole added that watching Odegaard’s ability to stand still and find space is “beautiful to watch”. He said, “He is back to his very, very best,” and praised the Norwegian’s brilliance throughout the night.

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Mikel Arteta told that his side “fully deserved the three points” even though they “missed so many great chances”. He highlighted the quality shown, noting that Arsenal created a huge amount of chances against a “really good team” in a difficult away environment. “The performance probably doesn’t reflect the result, the team was superb,” Arteta said. He highlighted the team’s hunger to dominate, the desire to own the pitch and the quality shown against a side that makes chances hard to create.

Keown suggested that Napoli’s players will remember the encounter as one of the toughest they have faced and will warn that Arsenal are capable of going all the way again this season. He added, “Those Napoli players will tell you that Arsenal are going to go all the way again this season because that will have been one of the most difficult games they would have been involved in.”