Paul Merson likens one Arsenal player to Kevin De Bruyne in Champions League win over Porto

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Arsenal legend Paul Merson likened Gunners captain Martin Odegaard to Kevin De Bruyne in Tuesday’s Champions League win over Porto.

Mikel Arteta‘s Arsenal charges hosted the Portuguese giants in their last-16 second leg at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal were trailing 1-0 going into the second leg, but Odegaard delivered a moment of magic to help the Gunners equalise.

In the 41st minute, the Arsenal skipper weaved away from two markers before slicing the away defence open with a superb pass for Leandro Trossard.

The onrushing Belgian latched onto the ball and duly curled into the far corner of the opposition net to send the home crowd into a frenzy.

Merson, covering the game on Sky Sports, loved what he saw from both Odegaard and Trossard in the build-up to the goal.

“He puts the ball through the eye of the needle,” he said, as per the Sky Sports website.

“A Kevin De Bruyne pass. Great play by Odegaard. Great finish by Trossard.”

Arsenal triumph in penalty shootout as Galeno misses decisive spot kick

Odegaard thought he had put Arsenal into the lead in the 67th minute when he lofted the ball over Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa.

However, the referee disallowed the goal, with Kai Havertz adjudged to have pulled back Pepe before Odegaard reached the ball.

Neither side could find a winner come the final whistle, and that remained the case after extra time, which meant penalties.

Odegaard got Arsenal up and running by converting the first spot kick of the game. Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice were also successful from 12 yards.

Meanwhile, Wendell and Galeno – who scored Porto’s winner in the first leg – were thwarted by David Raya to put Arsenal into the quarter-finals of the competition.