Martin Odegaard praise brutally shot down as Roy Keane refuses to doff cap to Arsenal star

Roy Keane poked fun at the praise Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard received after playing 96 minutes against Chelsea shortly after his return from an ankle injury.

The midfielder has missed much of the Gunners' campaign after suffering an injury to his ankle during the September international break for Norway.

The 25-year-old was missing for 14 games across all competitions before making his return against Inter Milan earlier this month in the Champions League, tasting just one minute of action in the 1-0 defeat.

Just four days later, Odegaard started in Arsenal's hard-fought 1-1 draw against Chelsea in the Premier League, playing the entirety of the game as he clocked up 96 minutes despite his very recent return from the troublesome injury.

The Gunners talisman displayed just how important he is to the team through his assist for Gabriel Martinelli's goal as well as remaining on the pitch for the whole game. Most fans believed he'd be subbed off during the clash in order to gradually increase his workload after his injury.

It was a topic of discussion on a prior episode of The Overlap on Sky as Ian Wright and Jill Scott showered the Norwegian with praise for powering through the game.

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"He needs plaudits for that because usually when you come back especially after an ankle injury, it's like 30 minutes your first game, then 60, he did well to get through 96 minutes," Scott said.

Listening to his colleagues rave about Odegaard, Keane was less than impressed as he bluntly stated: "It's his job innit? Like a pilot you've got an 8-hour flight, 'oh I can only do 6'... Jesus, 96 minutes? Praise the Lord."

The Gunners captain was said to have impressed club staff with his determination during his injury rehabilitation, with The Athletic reporting: "That Odegaard could exhibit such stamina immediately upon returning is testament to the dedication he showed during his rehabilitation.

"Arsenal’s staff were delighted with how he followed their instructions, doing everything possible to accelerate his recovery. Whether it was wearing protective boots or undergoing red-light therapy, Odegaard left no stone unturned in his attempts to regain fitness as soon as possible."

Odegaard will hope to reignite Arsenal's form this weekend as they take on high-flying Nottingham Forest on Saturday (November 23). Mikel Arteta's side are without a win in their last four Premier League games.

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