Former Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs has praised Ødegaard's start to the season, naming the midfielder as his favorite Arsenal player.

When asked about his favorite player in Arteta's squad, Giggs replied: "At the moment, it's Ødegaard.

"He looks like he's controlling the game, and for me, he's dropping back to receive the ball and also pushing forward to get in behind.

"He's everywhere! He wins the ball back and defends very well too. Yes, he looks very strong."

According to Giggs, the resilience Arsenal showed against Sunderland undoubtedly proves that Arteta's team is ready for the challenge this season.

He added: "Defending the title is difficult, so that game against Sunderland and that performance made me feel like they're ready to defend it.

"It's not easy to go away to Sunderland after a European match. Sunderland is a good team, they play well, and the atmosphere is great.

"Bruno Guimarães' goal was fantastic, yes, but Arsenal seemed to be in control of the game throughout. They have a good squad, and bringing on four or five players doesn't weaken them—in fact, they might even be stronger. So yes, they look good."

When asked why defending the title is harder for teams, Giggs replied: "That's just how it is—everyone wants to beat the champions.

"You have to have that inner drive, because winning the league is already difficult, and you have to climb that mountain again.

"Some players might think, 'Do I have to do this again?', because it's so hard.

"Arsenal stumbled with a month left last season, so you know how difficult it is. They were excellent last season, but it's still hard.

"This season might be the same, but when you have a squad like that, you just need to stay sharp.

"Manchester United didn't look fresh against Manchester City. They had just played a game on Thursday, and many players featured that day. It takes a lot of time to prepare for such a big match on Sunday after a Champions League game—it's not easy.

"But Arsenal looks like they have that squad depth, and the manager has confidence and trust in the players. He can rotate across several positions.

"If you want to be a top team, you need two players for every position, and Arsenal seems to have two players in most positions."

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