Arsenal fans have now given their verdict on how Emile Smith Rowe performed against Luton Town on Wednesday evening.
Mikel Arteta handed Emile Smith Rowe a rare start as Arsenal welcomed Luton Town to the Emirates Stadium for a midweek Premier League clash.
Despite the enormous importance of this fixture, as the Gunners can scarcely afford to drop any points between now and the end of the season if they are to be crowned champions, Arteta still saw this match as an opportunity to rest and rotate some of his key players.
Smith Rowe, Reiss Nelson, Thomas Partey, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and Leandro Trossard all came into the side for the visit of the Hatters.
Emile Smith Rowe fighting for Arsenal future
Smith Rowe was able to catch the eye, in the first half especially. The 23-year-old sharply won the ball back in opposition territory in the build up the Martin Odegaard’s opening goal. The Hale End academy graduate was then able to get to the byline and deliver in the low cross that Daiki Hashioka could only divert into his own net to put the Gunners 2-0 up.
Former Arsenal winger Theo Walcott was impressed with what he saw from Smith Rowe and hailed him as a potential “game-changer” for the Gunners. The three-cap England international will now be hoping for further opportunities to prove his worth in the coming weeks as the fixtures will be coming thick and fast.
Journalist Fabrizio Romano believes that Smith Rowe’s long-term future at Arsenal may well depend upon how big an impact he can have between now and the end of the campaign.
Arsenal fans give verdict on Emile Smith Rowe v Luton Town
Following the 2-0 win over Luton Town, plenty of Arsenal fans took to X offer their review of his display. One supporter said he “did everything right.”
Another stated, “Smith Rowe made a real impact. It was a slow start but once his confidence snapped in he was solid.” One supporter claimed, “ESR so impactful but I’ve been more impressed by his defensive shift.”
One fan also observed, “ESR’s energy has stood out.”