Arsenal were disappointing as they fell to a 3-1 defeat at the hands of West Ham yesterday, and there was a notable absentee in Emile Smith Rowe.
The midfielder had made his first Premier League start in over a year on Saturday and was beginning to show promising signs that he was ready to become a key player again, but was nowhere to be seen as Mikel Arteta made a number of changes for the cup tie.
Ahead of the game, Arteta revealed that Smith Rowe was carrying a concerning knee injury, and he has since provided an update on his fitness.
Emile Smith Rowe’s injury update
Speaking after the defeat at the London Stadium, Arteta confirmed that Smith Rowe is set to join Gabriel Jesus and Thomas Partey on the sidelines.
“He’s got an injury in his knee and he’s going to be out for weeks,” Arteta stated.
Kai Havertz and Fabio Vieira started in midfield, and both were disappointing as Arsenal were eliminated from the Cup.
Arsenal’s injuries
Losing both Partey and Smith Rowe in a period where Arsenal’s other midfielders are struggling is a far from ideal situation.
Arsenal can take solace that after this weekend’s tough trip to Newcastle, they face an easier run of fixtures than they have done in the last month, which included games against Manchester City, Chelsea and Sevilla, and this could be a good time for the likes of Vieira and Havertz to play themselves into some form.
Arteta’s side face a busy Christmas schedule which includes a trip to Anfield, and they will hope that Smith Rowe will be back in time to help provide a boost to the squad.
The 23-year-old will be frustrated that he has picked up another injury following his recovery, but given the potential timeframe, it may not be a serious one that sets him back further in his road to full fitness.
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