Mikel Arteta press conference: Arsenal manager makes Emile Smith Rowe claim ahead of Brentford clash

Arteta discusses Smith Rowe's role at Arsenal.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has spoken to the press ahead of tonight’s Carabao Cup clash against Brentford, with Emile Smith Rowe one of the main topics of discussion.

The 23-year-old has not played much in recent months, but Arteta has suggested he will get his chance soon, and that his slow return to the first-team has been due to being out injured for so long.

“Here he is incredibly popular,” Arteta said. “We all love him. It’s no different to what the people feel to what we feel about him.

“There's been many reasons why he hasn’t started a match. He was out for a long, long time. He had a sequence of matches that he played with the national team, then he came in and didn’t participate. In the last two matches he’s played more minutes and tomorrow he will have a big chance to show that he can play at this level and be a really important player for us.

“The best position for Emile is in those pockets. It is not to play as a pure winger. I think it suits him, I think the relationships w…