Arsenal got off to a flying start in the Champions league last night as they beat PSV Eindhoven at the Emirates Stadium.
It was Arsenal’s first game in the competition since 2017, and on a rainy night at the Emirates, goals from Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Jesus and Martin Odegaard handed Arsenal an impressive win.
The performance allowed Mikel Arteta to use the depth of his squad, and popular academy graduate Emile Smith Rowe came on for his first appearance of this season.
The crowd responded well to his substitution, and speaking after the game, Arteta expressed his delight what he described as an ’emotional’ moment.
“To give players minutes was fully deserved. I was really emotional when I saw the reception for Emile as well,” Arteta stated following the victory.
“He’s a player that hasn’t played much yet, and to get the reception that he got was well deserved and I’m so happy for him as well.”
Smith Rowe’s lack of opportunities
Last night saw Smith Rowe appear for the first time since the Community Shield, with the midfielder failing to make a single appearance even off the bench since then.
The England International has Kai Havertz, Leandro Trossard and Fabio Viera ahead of him in his position, and his lack of minutes even saw him linked with a summer exit during the transfer window.
However, the 22-year-old, who spent most of last season absent with a long-term injury, is a player who Arteta has repeatedly praised in the past, and with the fixtures piling up, it is only a matter of time before he gets more opportunities.
The moment before his substitition yesterday showed how popular he is among the Arsenal fans, and he looked sharp in his passing in his cameo appearance at the Emirates.
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