Emile Smith Rowe has endured a nightmare six months, but could yet turn this into a memorable season.
The Arsenal midfielder has been dogged by a series of injuries and limited to seven Premier League appearances and just 119 minutes of action in all competitions.
But he made an impact in a 47-minute cameo against Bournemouth on Saturday and contributed an assist in the dramatic 3-2 win at Emirates Stadium.
His header to set up a goal for Thomas Partey sparked the Arsenal comeback, and the hope now is that the 22-year-old can have a decisive impact in the title run-in.
With Arsenal fighting on two fronts, in the Premier League and Europa League, and as injuries start to bite, his comeback is timely.
Eddie Nketiah, Gabriel Jesus and now Leandro Trossard are all out, meaning Smith Rowe is in line to start on Thursday, when Arsenal travel to Lisbon for the first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie with Sporting.
After watching from the sidelines for the most of the season, he is determined to seize the opportunity in what could be an historic season for Arsenal. His journey back to this point after a groin operation in September has not been easy.
The decision to operate to repair a damaged tendon was not taken lightly, but Smith Rowe pushed to have surgery after playing with pain on-and-off for nearly four years.
He eventually reached a tipping point at Old Trafford in September, when he was warming down after a 3-1 defeat by Manchester United. He went to sprint during a drill with the other substitutes but the pain was too much and he had to pull up.
After a successful operation, Arsenal have been carefully building him back to full fitness. Throughout his time out injured, Mikel Arteta has kept Smith Rowe close to the squad and involved him in team meetings. He suffered another injury in January, when he strained his thigh just weeks after his comeback.
But the setback did not rock the player, though, as both he and Arsenal were aware issues could arise as he increased his workload. Their careful management of his fitness has continued, with Arteta taking Smith Rowe off on Saturday, despite bringing him on as a substitute in the first half.
The 47 minutes he played was the longest he had been on the pitch this season, and there was a conscious decision not to risk him, with big matches on the horizon.
Arteta’s plan is for Smith Rowe to play in Arsenal’s front three, but long term there is a belief among the coaching staff he could end up playing as No8 in midfield alongside Martin Odegaard. It would be a big step, but Smith Rowe would relish the challenge. After a dark season, he can see light at the end of the tunnel.
