An explanation for the absence of midfielder Emile Smith Rowe from Arsenal’s matchday squad to face Wolverhampton Wanderers has been provided on Thursday evening.

Mikel Arteta’s troops are of course set to return to action in short order.

After seeing north London rivals Tottenham slip to a costly defeat at the hands of Burnley 24 hours ago, the Gunners will be hopeful of dealing their own Premier League top-4 hopes a boost, courtesy of a 3rd successive three-point haul.

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Such a result would see Arsenal climb to within a solitary point of Ralf Rangnick’s Manchester United, currently in possession of the final Champions League-clinching berth.

Not only that, but the capital giants would maintain two games in hand on the Red Devils, too.

Why Emile Smith Rowe is absent from Arsenal’s squad to face Wolves

NORWICH, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 26: Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta during the Premier League match between Norwich City and Arsenal at Carrow Road on December 26, 2021 in Norwich, England. (Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images)

ESR unwell

As alluded to above, though, any such efforts on the part of this evening’s hosts to bag all three points will need to come without a key member of Mikel Arteta’s squad.

The player in question? Emile Smith Rowe.

Taking to the club’s social media platforms a short time ago, Arsenal unveiled the club’s matchday squad to face Wolves, with youngster Smith Rowe neither amongst the starting XI, nor on the bench:

In turn, amid widespread concern surrounding the whereabouts of the English international, the Gunners have since provided an explanation for the situation.

In a further official post a short time ago, it was confirmed that Smith Rowe misses out at the Emirates owing to a bout of illness, with Takehiro Tomiyasu too still unavailable, due to a calf injury:

 

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