Your team has hit a creative rut that coincided with the absence of your primary playmaker? Get him back and all your problems evaporate. So yes, the semi-frequent leaden-footed attacking, sterile possession and clumsy decision-making that reared its unfamiliar head at Arsenal over the last two months was nothing more than a team unable to cope without Martin Odegaard.

While Martin Odegaard is fit, Arsenal will feel they are still part of this season’s Premier League title race.It may have been Bukayo Saka and substitutes Thomas Partey and Ethan Nwaneri who netted the goals against Nottingham Forest that secured a first League win in five games for the Gunners.

Martin Odegaard was back to his brilliant best as the free-flowing Gunners skipper helped inspire Mikel Arteta's side to a comfortable victory over high-flying Forest

Ethan Nwaneri scored his first Arsenal goal as Mikel Arteta’s side beat Nottingham Forest 3-0 to secure a first Premier League win since October 5. Arsenal had the ball in net after five minutes when Jurrien Timber bundled in from a free-kick but Mikel Merino was judged to be offside from the initial header.

LONDON - Mikel Arteta said his Arsenal team "flows in a different way" when Martin Odegaard is playing after the Gunners crushed Nottingham Forest 3-0 on Satu

The Gunners ran out 3-0 winners at the Emirates Stadium, thanks to goals from Bukayo Saka, Thomas Partey and Ethan Nwaneri. Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard was the star of the show, though, and he impressed on what was his first appearance at the Emirates since August.

Their first game back after the September international break was the north London derby against Tottenham. In his pre-match press conference, Arteta refused to rule his captain out entirely, saying simply, “Players with 48 hours to go are always available, but let’s see what happens.”

While Martin Odegaard is fit, Arsenal will feel they still have hope in this season’s Premier League title race. It may have been Bukayo Saka, substitute Thomas Partey and teenager Ethan Nwaneri who netted the goals that secured a first League win in five games for the Gunners.