‘Big chance’: Mikel Arteta hints 23-year-old could make rare Arsenal start tonight v Brentford

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Mikel Arteta has lauded Emile Smith Rowe as an ‘incredibly popular’ player for Arsenal and how he was never going to leave this summer.

The 23-year-old has only managed 24 minutes for Arsenal this season, after making zero starts last term, but Mikel Arteta has hinted that he has a ‘big chance’ to start against Brentford in the League Cup on Wednesday, as he told his press conference.

After participating in the Community Shield, Premier League and Champions League, this is now Arsenal’s fourth competition of the new season and it provides players like Emile Smith Rowe with an ample chance to break the manager’s door down.

In terms of priority, some would argue that it’s closer to the bottom of the list than near the top.

Either way, with the gruelling fixture list set to continue, it wouldn’t be a surprise if there are a host of changes as Arsenal and Brentford lock horns in the League Cup.

It’s a short trip across London for the Gunners, with Arteta sharing his thoughts on the playmaker that everyone loves in the team.

Smith Rowe game time at Arsenal

“Many reasons why he hasn’t started,” said Arteta. “He was out for a long, long time. Then he had a sequence of matches he played with the national team, then he came in and didn’t participate. And in the last two matches, he has played more minutes.

“(Against Brentford), he will have a big chance to show that he can play at this level and be an important player for us.

“And here he is incredibly popular. We all love him. It’s no different as to what the people feel and what we feel about him.

On if Smith Rowe was going to leave this summer: “No. He needs to be (a huge part of Arsenal). A player of that talent who has come through our system.”

Arsenal’s trip to Brentford

It will be interesting to see how strong Arteta goes tonight because he has a few injury scares around the squad.

Jurrien Timber is already out for the long term, Thomas Partey might not return until after the international break, Declan Rice went off at half-time against Tottenham and Bukayo Saka also has a minor knock.

All in all, this is a rare chance, ahead of a busy schedule, for key players to be rested, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if Arteta makes wholesale changes.