In a pivotal Premier League Matchday 3 clash, Arsenal will host Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium. Gunners captain Ødegaard penned an article in the matchday program previewing the significant encounter.

Full text of Ødegaard's matchday program article

Our victory against Aston Villa on Monday was fantastic because we know how difficult it is to go to Villa Park and win. Villa are a strong side, and it was a tough game. I think they played well, and we faced exactly what we expected – a well-organized team with clear objectives, as their coach always ensures. It's always a challenge against them, but with a full team effort, we ultimately scored and secured the win.

We controlled the entire match, barely allowing them to create any good opportunities, and the whole team performed excellently defensively. We've done this in all three games so far, which is definitely a major strength of ours. Our team works together seamlessly, everyone striving for the common goal of securing victory. It's fair to say we've been showing this form for a long time, and Monday's game proved it again. Everyone is giving their all, and only then can we reap the rewards.

Seeing Saka score again is exactly what we expect from him, and it looks like he's in excellent form this season. Obviously, he struggled a bit with injuries last season, but now he's back stronger and determined to perform even better this season. We see this in games, and he consistently shows it in training every day. It feels great when hard work off the pitch pays off in a match, and hopefully the goals will keep coming.

With every team having played at least two games now, we have a clearer picture of their overall form at the start of the season. Even at this stage, we can get an initial sense of how teams are doing. But we're only just entering September, and our primary focus is on ourselves. We wanted a good start, and our current form is already very strong. As long as we perform to our expected level, other teams' performances aren't as critical, though we will, of course, monitor and analyze them closely.

This week, we've been preparing for the match against Chelsea, so naturally, we've paid more attention to their performance. I think they've been quite good offensively, putting together many brilliant plays. They have very strong players and have brought in many new signings this summer. They have the ability to cause problems, so it will be a big test for us and a great game – we are really looking forward to it.

This is a major game at the start of the season. Chelsea have started well, and so have we. It's a derby, so it's naturally a crucial battle. We want to win, keep pushing forward, and continue to improve, and this game is a great opportunity for us to once again showcase our strength and maintain our leading position.

From the first few weeks of the Premier League, you can see that all teams are strong, getting better, and hoping to build on last season's performance. However, as I said, our focus is always on ourselves and what we want to achieve. We've signed some excellent players. On Monday, Christos Tzolis made his debut, and he, like the other new players, quickly adapted to the team, which is pleasing. At the same time, having such a high-caliber player is very significant for our squad.

Additionally, we've brought in other new members who are all making a huge impact, but what I appreciate most is how strong and stable the culture of this team and the entire organization is. This culture runs throughout the club, and anyone who joins understands and embraces it, which makes us even stronger.

The head coach has been here for a long time, and we all know what we're doing. I've spoken with some of the new signings, and they've all told me that they quickly feel at home in this team and club. They feel like they've been here for a while, and I think the key is having a strong club culture.

Whenever new players join, they quickly integrate because of the way we do things and how easily everyone adapts. We have a strong squad and a united group, and everyone is very excited for the season ahead.

As part of football, we also said goodbye to some players during this transfer window. It's always hard when close teammates leave.

I played with several departing teammates for a long time and shared many good moments. Over the years, we've been through so much together, and it's always sad to see them leave, but that's part of football.

I wish them both the very best, as they are both excellent teammates and great players, and I will always cherish the wonderful memories we shared.

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