Mikel Arteta has told Emile Smith Rowe he needs to prove "his qualities" to regain a spot in Arsenal's starting XI.
Smith Rowe, 22 has not started a single game in any competition for Arsenal this season. That is mainly due to the groin injury he sustained in September, which has caused him to miss several fixtures and ruled him out of contention for the World Cup in Qatar.
The England international has played fewer than 150 minutes of football this term and was recently hooked during the 3-2 win against Bournemouth, despite being a substitute himself. Yet Arteta insists academy graduate Smith Rowe is still part of his plans.
Arteta was speaking to the press ahead of Arsenal's Europa League clash against Sporting Lisbon at the Emirates on Thursday night. The Spaniard is likely to rotate his squad, which could see Smith Rowe finally start a game - seven months after the season started.
"He knows how much we love him and how much we missed him and how much we need his qualities," said Arteta when asked about Smith Rowe. "Now he needs to prove it, how much he wants to win and how much he’s going to contribute to this team to be better and to win, he’s going to have to show that to get into the team."
There are concerns over whether Smith Rowe is fit enough to start for Arsenal. The reason why he was substituted against Bournemouth was due to his lack of match fitness, something which could force Arteta to bench the winger again on Thursday night.
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Arteta added: "I think we have to manage his load, but he’s in a position that we can throw him in the team at any moment. Then it’s about how he’s coping with the game in general, whether we need to take him off or use him for the last few minutes of the game."
Smith Rowe is one of Arsenal's most popular players. He joined the club's Hale End academy in 2010 and graduated eight years later. He spent time on loan at RB Leipzig and Huddersfield before breaking into the first team during 2020/21 campaign.
Smith Rowe was given the coveted No.10 shirt at the beginning of last season before scoring 10 Premier League goals to help Arsenal finish fifth in the table and return to European football. The U17 World Cup winner has won three senior England caps to date.
Smith Rowe started this season poorly, as he was limited to substitute appearances before undergoing an operation to fix a groin problem. He made his comeback against Tottenham in January, but played just a minute before missing the next six league games.
The Englishman was an unused substitute in Arsenal's 3-0 win against Fulham last Sunday afternoon and will be desperate to play a big role in the team's run-in. This could be remembered as Arsenal's best season in years thanks to their league and European form.
The Gunners are top of the Premier League - five points clear of Manchester City in second with 11 games to go. They will qualify for the quarter-finals of the Europa League if they beat Sporting at the Emirates on Thursday night after the first leg finished 2-2.
