Emile Smith Rowe has earned a last-minute senior England call up with Marcus Rashford and James Ward-Prowse forced to withdraw from the squad.
Emile Smith Rowe Called Up To England Squad
Rashford and Ward-Prowse Sidelined
England face two important World Cup qualifiers against Albania and San Marino, but will be without Manchester United’s Rashford and Southampton’s Ward-Prowse.
Both stars are reportedly suffering from illness. But in Rashford’s case, he is also looking to prioritise his recovery from a shoulder injury that has stopped him from completing 90 minutes of football since its inception. Back in July 2021, Rashford had to undergo surgery for the injury, and he is only just starting to make a full recovery. He’ll be missing from England’s attacking line.
Meanwhile Ward-Prowse will be unable to build on his nine England caps due to his own illness. He’ll stay at Southampton to recover over the international break.
The Three Lions should have enough to see off these two opponents even without these absentees. It gives a great opportunity for Emile Smith Rowe to prove himself for his country.
Emile Smith Rowe Called Up: Chance to Shine
Smith Rowe has had a brilliant past 12 months, recently rewarded with a bumper five-year contract in July 2021. He has made 33 appearances for the Gunners so far, scoring six goals. Already the Arsenal midfielder is endearing himself to the fans having scored one and assisted another in the 2-1 North London Derby win. Many of those fans would have been calling for this brilliant young talent to get a chance to represent his country.
Now he does get that chance and could feature in the upcoming fixtures for England. Surely Southgate could spare him a few minutes, especially in the second half of the San Marino game if the Three Lions can get an early advantage.
2021/2022 Season so far
Arsenal have won the majority of the Premier League matches that Smith Rowe has featured in. Ever-present thus far in the league for the Gunners, Smith Rowe has started every match bar one, forming a key part of Mikel Arteta’s midfield.
Smith Rowe scored a vital goal for Arsenal last time out against Watford, to secure all three points. It was his third goal in the last three league games. A decent return for this flourishing midfielder.
Arteta had come to support Smith Rowe after he was initially left out of the England squad: “I think he should be happy if people are gutted or people are questioning any decision because that tells you the level that he is playing at.
“Like anything that has happened in Emile’s career it will come when it is the right moment because we don’t know if now is the right moment.”
Luckily for Smith Rowe, the ‘right moment’ has come. He’s in the England squad and will no doubt be raring to get himself kitted out and playing in front of the England fans to make his senior debut.
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