Bodo/Glimt manager Kjetil Knutsen lauded the performance of Gabriel Jesus and Martin Odegaard following the Norwegian club’s 3-0 defeat to Arsenal in the Europa League on Thursday night.
The victory sees the Gunners rise to the top of Group A. They are two points clear of PSV in second place, having won their second successive game in Europe.
Mikel Arteta’s men started the game brightly and came very close to open the scoring within five minutes. However, the Norwegians looked incredibly organized and it was difficult to break them down.
The breakthrough came in the 23rd minute courtesy of Eddie Nketiah. Kieran Tierney’s venomous strike thundered back off the post into the path of the youngster, who tapped the ball into an empty net.
It did not take long for the home team to double their advantage. Fabio Viera’s glorious cross was headed into the bottom corner by Rob Holding. Viera’s goal in the 84th minute sealed all three points for the north Londoners.
It was Arsenal’s substitutes, Jesus and Odegaard, who really impressed Knutsen. Odegaard showcased his quality with some mesmerizing passes and was unlucky not to have registered an assist.
The Brazilian stole the show with a spectacular assist. He used his strength to hold off a couple of challenges and danced his way through the defense before cutting the ball back to Viera who fired it into the roof of the net. While speaking to Dagbladet, Knutsen said:
“During the break, we talked about how we were a bit passive. We stopped the ball and did not take advantage of the spaces we had. In the second half, we looked a lot more like we should.”
“But they were not kind to us when they put in Gabriel Jesus and Martin Ødegaard. Then, we meet quality. It’s world-class, quite simply.”
Arsenal Fever View:
The Gunners have been on incredible form this season, having won nine of their first ten games in all competitions. The summer signings have elevated the quality of the squad.
Despite just arriving at the club this summer, Jesus is proving to be very influential on and off the pitch. The Brazilian will be Arteta’s main man against Liverpool on Sunday and will be determined to deliver once again on the big stage.
The Reds are ninth in the Premier League table. If Arsenal can secure a victory they will go 14 points clear of Jurgen Klopp’s men and further solidify their place on top of the table.
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