Mikel Arteta receives brutal Arsenal instruction after Newcastle United win

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has been told to keep Martin Odegaard on the bench for now (Image: CameraSport via Getty Images)

Arsenal legend Perry Groves believes that Mikel Arteta should consider keeping Gunners captain Martin Odegaard on the bench.

The Norwegian midfielder has endured a slow start to the season with Arsenal, having provided just one assist in five appearances for Arteta's team so far. That assist did, though, come during the Gunners' vital 2-1 win at Newcastle United on Sunday as Arteta 's men moved two points behind league leaders Liverpool.

There will now be hope in north London that Odegaard's game-changing performance in the North East could lead to an upturn in form. Arsenal host Olympiacos in the Champions League next on Wednesday before facing West Ham United on Saturday afternoon.

But ex-Gunners winger Groves has shared his view that Odegaard would benefit from some time away from the starting XI to recapture his best form.

"Not through a lack of effort but he hasn't been himself because of injuries," he said, via the Metro .

"He hasn't been his free-flowing, creative self. But what happens now is Eze comes in, and when you’re at a massive club, you have to lift your own personal performance, and that will spur Odegaard on.

"If you look at Sunday when Odegaard came on, he got straight into the pace of the game, and he ends up obviously getting the assist for the goal with a brilliant delivery from the corner.

Martin Odegaard made his return to action against Newcastle (Image: Getty Images)

"So I think what happens with the top players is being on the bench inspires you to reach another level, and the beauty with Arsenal’s squad depth is that they can do that and rotate their options now."

He added: "With the subs now, there's no drop off in the standard because there's no drop off in the player.

"And what that means is, when you come on with 25 minutes, 30 minutes ago, the actual level of the team goes up because obviously those players are coming on fresh.

"And when you're playing against Arsenal, you're thinking, oh, there's no respite, it's relentless.

"That's exactly what Man City were like in their pomp."