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Arsenal attacker Emile Smith Rowe has revealed the full extent of his injury struggles over the years, explaining that he has had a problem since he was 18 years old.
The 22-year-old made his first appearance for the Gunners since undergoing groin surgery in September in Monday’s FA Cup third round meeting with Oxford.
Mikel Arteta’s side beat the League One outfit 3-0, with Smith Rowe making an appearance from the bench in the 75th minute.
The injury-hit youngster came on for fellow youngster Bukayo Saka, who is now an injury worry for Arteta after limping off the pitch on Monday evening.
So while one exciting winger could face some time out, another has returned, with Smith Rowe eager to get back into the swing of things.
Arsenal youngster reveals injury struggles
Smith Rowe has played just 62 minutes in all competitions this season, with 15 coming in the FA Cup and the other 47 arriving in the Premier League.
He made just four appearances at the beginning of the campaign before undergoing surgery, and has now revealed that his latest injury has been bugging him for a number of years.
“A lot of people might not know, but I have had this injury since I was 18, 19,” said Smith Rowe, as reported by LiveScore. “It has been quite hard to deal with it over the years.
“But I am really happy that it is just finally over. I had a successful surgery and I’m feeling really good.
“Obviously a lot of people might not know about that from over the years. I have been itching to get out there and play with the boys. I hope I can make an impact. I hope we can have a great rest of the season.
“It has been difficult being out for this long. But at the same time we are top of the league and playing really well, so I can’t complain.”
North London Derby comes at perfect time for Arsenal
Arsenal have set up an FA Cup fourth round meeting with Manchester City, which is scheduled to take place later this month. But that is certainly not their current focus, with two huge Premier League games up first for the Gunners.
They will soon take on Manchester United at the Emirates, but that comes after a highly-anticipated encounter with north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
The Gunners lost 3-0 to their fierce rivals in this fixture last season in May, with Antonio Conte’s men qualifying for the Champions League as Arsenal missed out.
The tables have turned this time around, however, with Arteta’s side sitting pretty at the top of the Premier League table. Spurs are 11 points behind their rivals in fifth.
Their young forward Smith Rowe believes the fixture has come at the perfect time for Arteta and his team, who are currently five points clear of Pep Guardiola’s Man City in second.
“A win would be massive for us,” said Smith Rowe. “I think it couldn’t come at a better time. We are feeling really good at the moment.
“All the boys know what it means to play in these kinds of games. We are all going to rest up now and get ready for it. We are going to train really hard and will use the energy, how we felt last year, going into the game.”
Into the next round 💪 pic.twitter.com/TQHXHhWtB1
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) January 9, 2023
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