Emile Smith Rowe finally returned to action for Arsenal as he came on as a substitute in the 3-0 FA Cup third round win against Oxford on Monday night. The 22-year-old had only played a total of 47 minutes this season before last night, having struggled with a groin injury.
Smith Rowe underwent surgery four months ago to correct an issue that he had been dealing with for a number of months. The England international missed out on the majority of Arsenal's pre-season tour in America before aggravating a long-standing injury in the warm down following their defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford.
The English attacker's return is a welcome boost for Mikel Arteta who saw his options weakened after Gabriel Jesus suffered a knee injury during the World Cup. The Brazilian striker is set to be sidelined until February or March with the club actively pursuing a deal for Shakhtar Donetsk star Mykhaylo Mudryk to reinforce Arteta's squad before the January transfer window closes.
