Rejuvenated by his goal on Saturday and free from injuries that have disrupted his season, Arsenal’s captain led their destruction of Villa

When Arsenal really needed Martin Ødegaard, the captain finally rediscovered his magic touch. Gabriel Magalhães had just opened the scoring against Aston Villa after a first half in which Mikel Arteta’s nervous side were struggling without the influential Declan Rice. Then it happened.

Jadon Sancho was waiting to receive a pass from Youri Tielemens inside Villa’s half but, before the forward knew it, Ødegaard had pinched the ball and was haring towards Emiliano Martínez’s goal. A jink back on to his left foot fooled Tielemens and allowed Ødegaard to play through the perfect through ball for Martín Zubimendi to score the crucial second. It was the fifth goal or assist that Zubimendi has contributed to since he joined in the summer – the joint-best return of his club career – and the Spaniard’s impact was rightly hailed by a delighted Arteta. “Credit to his teammates as well, how easy they make it for him,” said the Arsenal manager in a nod to Ødegaard.

• Gabonese FA president was voted on to Caf exco in 2023

• Caf chief allegedly failed to act on reports of sexual abuse

The general secretary of the Confederation of African Football (Caf), Veron Mosengo-Omba, ignored a recommendation that Pierre-Alain Mounguengui was ineligible for election to its powerful executive committee because he had been accused of covering up widespread sexual abuse in Gabonese football, it can be revealed.

Mounguengui, the president of the Gabonese football federation (Fegafoot), has been accused of failing to act on reports of sexual abuse and rape of young footballers in a series of stories that were first published by the Guardian in 2021. He has denied the allegations and there is no suggestion Mounguengui has been accused of sexual abuse himself. Although he has not yet been formally charged, Mounguengui spent six months in custody awaiting a decision from the authorities in Gabon and was visited by the Caf president, Patrice Motsepe, with a final ruling on his case still pending almost four years on.