Bukayo Saka is delighted to be playing alongside Martin Odegaard again and hopes the Arsenal captain stays fit for the rest of the season.
Odegaard missed nearly two months of the current campaign after injuring his ankle playing for Norway at the start of September.
The midfielder is back now, though, and his return has inspired an upturn in form for the Gunners.
Arsenal followed up a 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest last weekend by thumping Sporting CP 5-1 in the Champions League on Tuesday, with Odegaard starring in both games.
The 25-year-old combined well with Saka, who scored in both matches, and the winger is delighted to be back playing with Odegaard.
“He (Odegaard) is an unbelievable player and the day he returned, there was a big smile on my face,” Saka told TNT Sports.
“You can see the chemistry we have, how much I enjoy playing with him. So I am happy he is back and I hope he stays fit for the rest of the season.”
Arsenal’s win over Sporting was an emphatic one and the first time since 2008 they have scored five goals away from home in the Champions League.
“This is where we belong,” said Saka. “We have shown the level we can play at and we need to continue like this.
“We knew they (Sporting) hadn’t lost here this season and they have been a top team, but we believe in ourselves. We just have to be us and go with confidence.
“Today we did that. Everyone was top, anyone could have got this [man-of-the-match award] and I am really proud of all the boys today.”
Saka got his goal when the game was at 3-1, firing home a penalty when it looked like Sporting may mount a second-half comeback.
“It was important, but I didn’t really feel the pressure,” he said. “I was confident.”
