Martin Ødegaard and Bukayo Saka were in top form during Arsenal’s dominant 5-2 win over West Ham. No Arsenal player has benefitted more from Ødegaard’s return than Saka, whose ruthless performance left West Ham struggling to keep up.
Their on-field connection was evident, with Saka and Ødegaard seemingly in perfect sync, playing like two hummingbirds effortlessly intertwined. When players link up this well, it’s often described as a special understanding, and this was certainly the case — a true partnership.
Ødegaard’s return, his third start in eight days, has not just been a boost for the team but a homecoming. Since his return before the international break, Arsenal’s form has flourished, and Saka, in particular, has benefitted. By halftime, the duo had been involved in nine of Arsenal’s 13 goals in their last two and a half matches, with Saka contributing three goals and four assists.
Ødegaard’s presence feels transformative, like a long-awaited reunion, and it’s clear that everything is different now — especially against a porous West Ham defense.
In the first half, West Ham barely put up any resistance, almost like paper-thin wasabi crackers — visually appealing but ultimately ineffective. By the break, Saka and Ødegaard had 60 touches between them, almost a third of West Ham’s total, often in dangerous positions, free to orchestrate play and weave around defenders at will.
The match itself was a chaotic affair, with Arsenal opening the scoring just 10 minutes in. West Ham’s designated set-piece man, Pablo Sanz, appeared next to Julen Lopetegui for Arsenal’s first corner, which led to a goal as the ball sailed past goalkeeper Łukasz Fabiański.
Ødegaard’s impact since the international break has been immense, and Arsenal’s attacking play has thrived. By halftime, the scoreline read 5-2 in Arsenal’s favor, with five of those goals coming in a frantic 13-minute period. The second goal, a combination of Ødegaard and Saka, was a thing of beauty, almost sarcastically elegant as Saka passed to Ødegaard, who then set up Leandro Trossard for a goal.
Just six minutes later, Saka was again involved, winning a penalty which Ødegaard converted with ease. This made it a remarkable 34 minutes of goal involvement for Saka.
Arsenal’s fourth came shortly after, with Trossard providing a perfect pass for Kai Havertz to score. West Ham, meanwhile, looked on helplessly, failing to even challenge the play, almost as if training cones were more active than their defense.
West Ham did pull two goals back, including a penalty for Saka right before halftime after Fabiański punched Gabriel in the head. But the damage was done.
The second half was a subdued affair, but the game had already shown the full resumption of the magic between Ødegaard and Saka — a partnership restored and flourishing once again.
