Jamie Carragher says Martin Odegaard faces a battle to return to the Arsenal line-up after Ebereche Eze impressed with a hat-trick in the North London derby.
Eze was influential during Arsenal’s victory over Spurs on Sunday, a result which sees them move six points clear atop the Premier League table.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, Carragher said that he didn’t think Eze’s signing would be a “game changer” for Arsenal, but now he feels that the former Crystal Palace man could be the “real difference” for Arsenal’s title challenge.
“There was always this talk they [Arsenal] needed a goal-scorer,” Carragher said. “They needed to score more goals, certainly last season to compete with Liverpool.
“But Arsenal in general play didn’t create enough, that was a problem. Doesn’t matter who your striker is, if you’re not creating chances for him, he’s not there to finish.
“He’s [Eze] made a difference with that.
“Even this season if we go back to early on, if we go back to Anfield, that was almost like the Arsenal of last season. Very strong defensively but not really looking like scoring going forward.
“I’m certain Eze played [in the next game] at Newcastle away and you felt like there was a difference.
“It just feels like his signing, which I felt to be fair would just be something that would be to back up Odegaard — Odegaard is out at the moment — but Odegaard has a real fight.”
Also speaking as part of Sky’s post-match coverage, former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry pointed to the impending battle between Eze and Odegaard.
“I said to myself that he’s a 10 and Martin Odegaard will have competition,” Henry said.
“When you’re at a big club, as it should be, you will have competition.”
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Carragher also apologised for undervaluing the potential impact Eze could have when Arsenal first signed him from Crystal Palace.
“I must be honest, I think in the summer when Arsenal signed him, and I had my Liverpool hat off, and I looked at the signings Arsenal made, besides Gyokeres I felt a lot of them were to strengthen the squad,” Carragher said.
“When Eze came in, maybe it’s not a game changer.
“We’ve still seen some of his highlights this season, there’s still great goals.
“Then he goes and scores a hat-trick, so, apologies, I’ve certainly undervalued the importance of that signing because he looks like he could be the real difference for Arsenal this season and going on to win the title.”
