Jamie Redknapp claimed on Sunday that Martin Odegaard is now the Premier League’s best midfielder and Paul Merson has since agreed.

The Arsenal midfielder was brilliant in a 3-0 win over Fulham, though Leandro Trossard was arguably the game’s outstanding player as he claimed three assists to create a ‘problem’ for the Gunners.

Redknapp gushed about Odegaard after that game, saying: “Right now he’s number one. There’s nobody [better].

“Normally we would say Kevin De Bruyne is the best midfield player, not just in the Premier League but the world. But something isn’t quite right. He isn’t playing as many games as he’d like.

“But Odegaard does this thing where – all great players possess it – it’s like time stands still when he has the ball.

“Most players [would rush the shot today], especially midfield players as we’re not used to getting in those situations.

“But the calmness that he possesses, he’s scored four or five goals like that with that left foot. He’s the captain, he’s the leader.”

The Belgian has still created more chances this season than anybody else in the Premier League, but Redknapp prefers Odegaard.

Merson is also firmly in the Odegaard camp, writing in his Sky Sports column: ‘As we talk today, Martin Odegaard is the best midfielder in the Premier League.

‘He has more effect on the Arsenal team than Kevin de Bruyne has on Man City. We have to talk in moments and, in the present, Odegaard is number one without a doubt. I’m not saying he’s a better player than De Bruyne, but right now Odegaard’s having more of an impact.’

He also piled a whole lot of praise on Trossard, saying: ‘Leandro Trossard could play for Man City. It’s an unbelievable signing for £27m. When his agent said to him he was going to Arsenal for that fee he must have thought, ‘Is that all I’m worth?!’

‘The lad could go in the Man City team on Tuesday and you wouldn’t know any different, he’s that good. But Arsenal play like Man City, if you put them in a light blue kit you would think they are. You don’t get bigger compliments than that.’

Merson now believes Arsenal can win the Premier League title, saying: ‘If Arsenal play first and they keep going eight points clear with City needing to win to make it five, before you know it, it will take its toll. It happened with Tottenham and Leicester in 2016.

‘If Arsenal win their next two games against Palace and Leeds, I don’t see how they can be stopped. They’ll be five points clear at least with eight games to go.’

READ: The top ten Premier League players of the 2022/23 season so far…

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