Your team has hit a creative rut that coincided with the absence of your primary playmaker? Get him back and all your problems evaporate. So yes, the semi-frequent leaden-footed attacking, sterile possession and clumsy decision-making that reared its unfamiliar head at Arsenal over the last two months was nothing more than a team unable to cope without Martin Odegaard.

Arsenal hadn’t tasted victory in the league since 5 October, giving Saturday a must-win feel. Martin Odegaard missed three of those four winless matches and what that streak proved more than anything else was that he is the most irreplaceable player in Arteta’s squad.

For reaction from around the grounds, click here While Martin Odegaard is fit, Arsenal will feel they still have hope in this season’s Premier League title race. It may have been Bukayo Saka, substitute Thomas Partey and teenager Ethan Nwaneri who netted the goals that secured a first League win in five games for the Gunners.

Martin Odegaard dazzled in Arsenal's 3-0 win against Nottingham Forest with Mikel Arteta and Riccardo Calafiori both lavish in their praise of the Gunners captain

Stunning strikes from Bukayo Saka and Thomas Partey and a first Premier League goal for teenager Ethan Nwaneri gave Arsenal a first victory in five league games.

On his own, Martin Odegaard is an exceptionally good footballer. The same is patently true of Bukayo Saka. Both players are undoubtedly among the very best in the Premier League.For Arsenal, though, the real beauty of having these two is that they are even better when they are together.

Martin Odegaard was back to his brilliant best as the free-flowing Gunners skipper helped inspire Mikel Arteta's side to a comfortable victory over high-flying Forest