Arsenal continued their unbeaten start to the season as they beat Brentford in the Carabao Cup, and the game saw a number of changes to the starting XI.
There were plenty of absentees as Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard were all injured, and this meant Emile Smith Rowe was finally given a start, 499 days after his last one.
The Englishman impressed for the first hour of his return before it became apparent that he was not at full fitness, but fans were delighted to see him back and quickly making an impact.
Smith Rowe is a popular player at Arsenal, and his stunning breakthrough in 2021 saw him quickly become a key figure before his injury struggles last season.
He looked sharp in his passing and movement, causing Brentford nightmares, and he could have scored following a stunning move between him and Jorginho.
The 23-year-old exchanged passes before gliding into the box, and took a glorious touch to separate himself from the Brentford defenders before seeing his left-footed shot saved.
Whilst he will have been frustrated that he did not score, it was a moment of real quality, and Arsenal fans have now taken to Twitter to praise him.
What are Arsenal fans saying about Emile Smith Rowe?
One thing that has been missing from Arsenal at times this season has been creativity, with Arsenal worryingly 15th in the league for big chances created.

It seems that having Smith Rowe back could change this, and fans have praised the “dynamic” nature of his playing style, with his quick passing and dribbling adding an extra dimension to Arsenal’s midfield.
“Crazy what ESR’s mere presence on the pitch does for us. More central access, more effective dynamic superiorities, more effective transitions,” one fan stated of the England international.
“ESR dynamic running. Tears in my eyes, this guy deserves a few chances,” another claimed, with it evident that the academy graduate deserves more first-team opportunities.
“Vintage Emile Smith Rowe. So dynamic,” one stated of his chance.
“Emile Smith Rowe, he’s dynamic. I miss watching that guy play.”
The Englishman will now be hoping that his performance has impressed Mikel Arteta enough that he gains another chance from the start against Bournemouth this weekend.
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