Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has responded to Jamie Carragher’s criticism of his celebration following a victory over Liverpool.
Odegaard was seen taking pictures with club photographer Stuart MacFarlane after the game at the Emirates, which Carragher, a Liverpool legend and TV pundit, believed was inappropriate. Carragher suggested that the players should have immediately gone to the tunnel, while his co-pundit Gary Neville argued that it demonstrated the team’s lack of maturity. Carragher later clarified that his comments were meant as a joke, referring to Neil Warnock’s famous remarks about getting down the tunnel.
In response to a question about whether he believed the post-game festivities were excessive, Odegaard stated [via Sky Sports News on X]: “I think everyone who loves football, who understands football, they know how much it means to win this game. And if you’re not allowed to celebrate when you win a game, when are you allowed to celebrate? We are happy with the win and we’ll stay humble. We keep working hard and we prepare for the next one but you have to be happy when you win.”
Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, and Leandro Trossard all scored goals, leading Mikel Arteta’s team to victory and propelling them to second place ahead of Manchester City. Arteta showed his excitement by running down the touchline and pumping his fists in the air to celebrate with the ecstatic fans. After a challenging 2022–23 season, the Gunners are now strong contenders for the championship. Following this win, Arteta’s team is only two points behind the current leaders, Liverpool.
The Gunners’ next match will be against West Ham on Sunday, February 11. This game will be an opportunity for them to assert their title aspirations against another formidable opponent, their London neighbors.
