Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard found himself in the spotlight at half-time during the club’s clash with Manchester United, but fans watching on Sky Sports weren’t exactly impressed.
This season, the Premier League has introduced more behind-the-scenes access, allowing cameras into dressing rooms and even player interviews during live coverage—a move clearly inspired by US sports broadcasting.
Odegaard Faces the Media Amid Arsenal Lead
The interview came after Arsenal took a 1-0 lead thanks to Riccardo Calafiori capitalizing on a mistake from Manchester United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir.
Despite being in the middle of a tense Premier League showdown, Odegaard was asked to reflect on the first 45 minutes of play.
For many fans, this seemed like an unnecessary distraction.
Social Media Voices Dissatisfaction
Viewers quickly took to X to express their frustrations.
One fan wrote: “Don’t like this American-style half-time interview thing at all.
Just let the players be @premierleague.” Another added: “Ridiculous.
Players shouldn’t have to do an interview at half-time when they need full focus on the game.”
Comments were overwhelmingly negative, with fans arguing that players need to recover, receive tactical instructions, and focus on the second half instead of standing in front of cameras.
Odegaard’s Thoughts on the Game
During his one-minute interview with Sky Sports, Odegaard spoke about Arsenal’s approach and areas for improvement.
“They have quality and really good players up front. I think we let them play through us too easily at times, but also we had a lot of space up front,” he said.
“When we regained the ball and we got to run and counter, we just need to be a bit more clinical in those moments.
It has been a bit too hectic at times… we need to control it a bit better and be more compact without the ball.”
New Broadcasting Features Stir Debate
This half-time segment is part of a new domestic TV deal worth £6.7 billion, which kicked in this month.
Sky Sports and TNT Sports reportedly want more behind-the-scenes content to justify the investment.
Plans for this season also include touchline interviews with substituted players and cameras briefly entering the pitch to capture goal celebrations.
US-Style Coverage Meets UK Football
While similar features are common in American sports, fans in the UK are less accustomed to them.
Many feel that these changes risk disrupting the flow of the game and placing unnecessary pressure on players, especially during critical match moments.
As Arsenal and other Premier League clubs adapt, it remains to be seen whether fans will warm to this new style of coverage—or continue to push back against it.
