Arsenal fans were waiting at the Emirates to brighten Emile Smith Rowe’s day with a wholesome message.
After winning the man of the match against Luton Town on Wednesday night, TNT Sports interviewed Arsenal star Smith Rowe at the Emirates, who had been criticized for his silence.
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Luton star Tom Lockyer, appearing expert as he continues to recover from a cardiac arrest, presented the 23-year-old with the award to the delight of a group of Arsenal fans behind the camera .
In a salutary moment, they applauded loudly for staying long after the full-time whistle.
Smith Rowe looked delighted with the award and the welcome he received from the Gunners faithful and expressed his gratitude.
He said: “Being at home here, the fans really help me. It’s better to play at home when you haven’t played for a long time and you have that support behind you.
“I’ve received so much support not only from the players but also the staff, I feel like family in there.
“I’ve been here since I was nine years old, so to have that (standing ovation) as I walk out is amazing.
“It’s really good to have the support of the fans, I feel it every time, even when I get warmed up sometimes and don’t go in!”
Smith Rowe reminded everyone at the Emirates why he was named one of their academy’s best graduates with a fine performance against Luton Town.
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As well as setting up Reiss Nelson’s second goal in a 2–0 win, he was instrumental in the opener after collecting the ball high up the pitch before Martin Odegaard scored.
With eight games remaining in Arsenal’s Premier League title race, Mikel Arteta will need every player eager to go and beat Manchester City and Liverpool to claim the top prize.
And given Smith Rowe has only played 20 minutes in the Premier League since January, it was a fine outing that proves the Gunners boss can rely on his fringe players if he needs them.
Arteta was full of praise for the youngster after his performance, calling him a “joy to watch”.
“I love him as a player, he’s a joy to watch. How he moves, changes direction and how physical he was today without the ball,” said the Spaniard.
“He went into duels and won a lot of them and thought with that killer instinct to play forward and make things happen.
“When Emile is in this moment, it’s very difficult to stop him. Today he helped us a lot to win the match.”
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