Jamie Redknapp hails 'influential' Martin Odegaard after his superb brace in Arsenal's win at Wolves

Jamie Redknapp has hailed the impact of Martin Odegaard this season and says he's become a massive influence on the Arsenal team.

The Norwegian scored twice for the Gunners in the 2-0 win over Wolves on Saturday  that saw Mikkel Arteta's men go five points clear at the top of the Premier League.

The brace means Odegaard is now Arenal's top goal-scorer in the league this season and speaking after the game, Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp said that the 23-year-old should be seen as one of the club's most important players.

Redknapp said: 'Odegaard’s had a great season, a lot of people talk about different players, if Saliba gets injured what might happen to the team but I think you have to put him in that bracket as well, he’s such an influential player for the team the way he controls the game.

'Especially heading forward, Jesus is having a bit of a moment, he’s playing well and doing a great job for the team but not got the goals. That’s when you need your midfield players, wide men can they chip in and make the difference. So for him to get two goals is just so important for the team.’

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was alongside Redknapp and the former Dutch striker was equally impressed with Odegaard and agreed on how important he has become to this title-chasing Arsenal team.

‘When he plays like that and especially in the second-half and he takes the ball and he runs at people he’s very, very difficult to play against.' Hasselbaink explained.

'He’s hard to stop. Here, his first touch is not great but he counter-presses and he wins the ball and then he’s a danger but he keeps his head up and gives it Zinchenko and then Odegaard finds a moment again and is very calm and it’s a great finish.

It’s not a simple finish, it’s not easy but he stays very calm, here he gets the ball, gets a touch and gets it down and just puts it in the side net and as Jamie already spoke about, he’s very, very important to Arsenal.'

The victory means Arsenal will top the Premier League table at Christmas, the first time they've taken the spot for fifteen years. Gunners fans will also be delighted to hear that the previous eight teams to start as good or better than Arteta's side after 12 games have gone on to be champions in May.

As well as Odegaard, Redknapp also highlight the North London side's change in the second half, where they got more from their wide men, especially World Cup bound Brazilian Gabriel Martinelli.

Adding: 'I also felt that there was, we’re not privy to what goes on in the dressing room, but it felt like the manager said something to his two wide men, certainly this young man Martinelli and said ‘look we need more form you, we need more energy’ cos he had a real spark about him in the second-half that he didn’t have in the first, you can see his movement is good.'