‘He will start from bench’ Mikel Arteta says ‘very important’ player won’t start against Brentford today
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Emile Smith Rowe won’t be involved against Brentford.
However, the Gunners boss said the 22-year-old is edging closer to a return to action.
Arteta said Smith Rowe is back in light training, along with Reiss Nelson and Gabriel Jesus.
Arsenal are in Premier League action on Saturday, hosting Brentford at the Emirates Stadium.
On Friday, Arteta held his pre-match press conference, where he opened with a squad fitness update.
“The ones that were long-term like Emile, Reiss and Gabi Jesus are closer,” football.london quoted him as saying.
“They have started to do some activities and have been outside but they are not ready yet to contribute.”
When asked if there any hope Smith Rowe could play against Brentford, Arteta replied: “Not for this game.”
Encouraging
It’s been a difficult season for Smith Rowe, who has just over an hour of game time under this belt in 2022-23.
The Hale End graduate was previously suffering with a persistent groin injury.
This led to Smith Rowe having surgery earlier this season to finally put an end to the problem.
After recuperating, Arteta eased the player back into action, with cameos against Oxford United and Tottenham.
However, a thigh problem has sadly led to Smith Rowe being ruled out of action against Brentford.
At the same time, it’s great to hear the Arsenal academy graduate is now back in light training.
Arteta has stressed that Smith Rowe is a “very important” player, and he has been missed.
Hopefully Smith Rowe recovers quickly and can hit the ground running once he returns to action.
‘Gabi’s doing really well’
Arteta also provided an update on Jesus, saying he’s progressing nicely in his recovery from knee surgery.
However, the Arsenal boss couldn’t provide a timescale for a return to action for the Brazilian.
“Gabi’s doing really well,” said Arteta. “He’s already been outside a little bit.
“It’s still early stages and he keeps pushing everybody every single day.
“We need to respect timelines and processes but he’s doing really well.”
Arsenal v Brentford
Arsenal are looking to avoid a third consecutive defeat in all competitions when they face Brentford.
The Gunners lost to Manchester City in the FA Cup before suffering a shock league defeat at Everton last time out.
However, Arsenal remain five points clear at the top of the league, with Manchester City also losing last weekend.
Meanwhile, Thomas Frank’s charges hammered Southampton 3-0 last time out.
Saturday’s visitors to the Emirates sit seventh in the table, with European qualification a realistic target.
