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.

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.

Stunning strikes from Bukayo Saka and Thomas Partey and a first Premier League goal for teenager Ethan Nwaneri gave Arsenal a first victory in five league games.

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.

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.”