‘He’s close to being worn out’ – These Arsenal fans convinced that Arteta has ‘overplayed’ ace as some supporters question Odegaard omission from lineup against Aston Villa

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The only two changes from Mikel Arteta for Arsenal’s game-week opening Premier League tie with Aston Villa are replacements for David Luiz and Bernd Leno, who are both suspended after being sent off.

Brighton loanee and Arsenal fan Mat Ryan gets a chance for his beloved club in between the sticks in favour of Leno, leaving the Gunners free from calling on the shaky Alex Runar Runarsson.

David Luiz, who was sent off in a harsh decision and also questionably saw an appeal rejected, has been replaced by Gabriel Magalhaes at the heart of the north London outfit’s defence.

There are no other changes from the 2-1 defeat to Wolves in mid-week, which may come across as a real surprise to some, but remember the Gunners were leading before they imploded last time out.

See More: Video: Wolves delete brutal ‘final brain cell’ TikTok about Arsenal star Bernd Leno in vicious trolling of red card in Gunners defeat

Here’s how some of the Arsenal faithful have reacted to Arteta’s teamsheet:

Real Madrid loanee Martin Odegaard, who joined Dani Ceballos with a temporary move to Arsenal in January, starts on the bench for his third successive game since arriving.

Arsenal sit just a point behind Aston Villa – who hold two games in hand, so this is a massive match, the Gunners also need to produce a much better showing after they were embarrassed by the Villains earlier in the season.

Considering the impact a loss or even a draw would have on Arsenal’s chances of moving up the table in the short to medium-term, this encounter against one of the season’s high-flying sides is really a must-win game.

More Stories Bernd Leno David Luiz Emile Smith Rowe Gabriel Magalhaes Martin Odegaard Mat Ryan Mikel Arteta