“I am so sorry for him” - Pep Guardiola makes feelings clear about Arsenal superstar as Manchester City prepare to host Gunners

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has claimed that he feels "sorry" for Arsenal midfielder Martin Odegaard ahead of the Premier League clash between the two heavyweight sides. The Spaniard praised the Gunners' club captain, who will likely be sidelined for a few weeks after suffering an injury on international duty.

Odegaard was taken off in the 67th minute of Norway's 2-1 win over Austria in the Nations League (September 9). Reports later confirmed that the 25-year-old suffered an ankle ligament injury which could potentially keep him out of action for up to eight weeks.

Besides being the club captain, Odegaard is Arsenal's chief playmaker, who often orchestrates transitions and dictates the attacking tempo from the heart of midfield. While manager Mikel Arteta has numerous options to replace him, including Raheem Sterling and Leandro Trossard, his absence will be a big blow for the Gunners.

Praising Odegaard's abilities and offering his sympathies in a pre-match press conference on Thursday, September 20, Guardiola said (via Metro):

"I am so sorry for him. Always I like to play against the biggest and toughest squad. Odegaard is the captain of Arsenal and everybody knows he’s an important and exceptional player."

Guardiola then claimed that the Gunners have showcased steady improvement in successive seasons and have created a well-rounded squad. He added:

"Of course, he’s an important player, but year by year Arsenal get better because they invest a lot in the depth of squad. To have more players in a long, long season with injury problems, suspensions, bad form or whatever. Always the depth of squad helps you."

Besides Odegaard, the Gunners will also be missing the services of Mikel Merino and Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee injuries) and left-back Kieran Tierney (hamstring) against City.

"We have to go there and prove" - Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta sounds battle cry ahead of Manchester City clash

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has urged his players to "prove" that they have improved after falling short to Manchester City in the 2023-24 Premier League title race.

The two sides will once again lock horns in an early-season clash, which could potentially shape the 2024-25 EPL title race. Ahead of the game, Arteta has encouraged his squad to take the game as a "challenge" and show that they have what it takes to "compete."

Talking to reporters on Friday (September 20), the 42-year-old said (via Caught Offside h/t BBC Sport):

“(The fixture is) a really competitive one. We go to the home of the champions, the team that I think in Premier League history has been the most consistent ever, not only in terms of results but in terms of dominance and consistent top performances. This is the challenge, we have to go there and prove that again we've made another step and we can compete."

Manchester City will host Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium in a high-octane Premier League clash on Sunday, September 22.