Mikel Arteta provides Emile Smith Rowe injury update
Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta has, late on Friday, provided an update on the wellbeing of sidelined star Emile Smith Rowe.
Versatile midfielder Smith Rowe, of course, has endured something of a nightmare campaign to date.
Owing to an ongoing groin issue, the 22-year-old has been restricted to a quartet of appearances across all competitions, totalling a measly 48 minutes on the pitch.
Smith Rowe, in turn, ultimately opted to go under the knife late in September, in a bid to solve the problem once and for all.
Ahead of Arsenal’s post-international break return to action this week, it had been suggested that Smith Rowe could go on to feature in some capacity, after being spotted back in first-team training earlier this month.
It therefore came as a major source of disappointment for those of a Gunners persuasion when, instead, the English international was completely absent from the club’s matchday squad to face West Ham.
And the Arsenal boss went on to reveal his confidence that ESR will mark his return to the pitch ‘soon’:
🗣️| Mikel Arteta on how much closer Emile Smith Rowe is to returning to the squad:
⁰“Very much. He’s made some big steps in the last week or so. He’s taken part in a few training sessions lately and he’s looking good. We’re looking forward to having him back soon.” [@arsenal]— Arsenal Buzz (@ArsenalBuzzCom) December 30, 2022
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