Arsenal fans on Twitter want 22-year-old to start against Villarreal

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Arsenal are preparing for a huge European match against Villarreal on Thursday night – and some of the club’s fans on Twitter have rallied together to demand Martin Odegaard is included in the starting XI.

The Gunners travel to Spain tomorrow night for the away leg of their Europa League semi-final tie.

Mikel Arteta’s side host Villarreal a week later in the second leg, and would love some kind of aggregate lead over them to take back to the Emirates Stadium.

As well as playing for a European trophy, Arsenal’s poor league form means it looks like they’ll need to win this season’s competition to ensure they have European football next year.

The north London club are 10th in the league standings, but have made it to the Europa League semi-finals in fairly convincing fashion.

A selection of Arsenal supporters on social media have claimed before the Villarreal showdown that they want to see Odegaard back in the XI.

The 22-year-old attacking midfielder has missed a few games recently with an ankle problem. However, he made his return appearance for the Gunners in last Friday’s defeat to Everton off the bench.

Despite only joining on loan from Real Madrid midway through the season, the left-footed playmaker has shown he’s capable of adding some extra guile in the final third.

If he does play, it does leave plenty of question marks over who out of Nicolas Pepe, Pierre-Emerick Aubamayeng, Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe plays in the attacking positions around him.

Here are some Arsenal fans that want Odegaard to start tomorrow:

https://twitter.com/Jack67335236/status/1387429748444381187

https://twitter.com/Littlechili_/status/1387353830493413378

https://twitter.com/Littlechili_/status/1386244064572547072

https://twitter.com/PraiseMACHINE02/status/1387295177174302724