Mikel Arteta confirms Arsenal star will be 'out for weeks' after picking up injury before Carabao Cup loss to West Ham

Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Arsenal midfielder Emile Smith Rowe suffered a fresh injury setback before their team's Carabao Cup loss to West Ham United on 1 November.

Smith Rowe made his first Premier League start in 524 days when he featured in Arsenal's 5-0 win over Sheffield United on 28 October. He even grabbed an assist, playing a simple yet effective pass to Eddie Nketiah, who completed his hat-trick with a sublime finish in the 58th minute.

But Smith Rowe was abruptly left out from Arsenal's matchday squad to face the Hammers in the EFL Cup last-16. The Gunners lost the game 3-1 at the London Stadium, with the Hammers progressing to the semifinals, where they will face Liverpool.

Ahead of Arsenal's Premier League clash against Newcastle United on Saturday (4 November), Arteta was asked to give an update on Smith Rowe's knee injury. The Spanish tactician confirmed that the midfielder will be out for 'several weeks'. He said, via @FabrizioRomano on X:

"He [Smith Rowe] will be out for weeks, it's a big blow because he was getting some momentum…We were starting to get the Emile that we needed. Unfortunately, though, he's going to be out again."

The 23-year-old has been at Arsenal since 2010. He burst onto the scene in the 2020-21 season, where he scored four goals and laid out seven assists in 33 senior games for the Gunners across competitions.

The following season, the Englishman registered 10 goals and two assists in 33 Premier League games. But his promising start to life at the Emirates has been hampered by injuries since then. He has started just two games across competitions since the start of the 2022-23 campaign.

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Mikel Arteta takes blame for Arsenal's defeat to West Ham United

Mikel Arteta said he was responsible for Arsenal's 3-1 defeat to West Ham United in the Round-of-16 EFL Cup clash.

The Hammers took the lead in the 16th minute through a freak Ben White own goal from a corner kick. Arteta said the early game spoilt Arsenal's plans, telling reporters after the game (h/t BBC):

"I'm very disappointed. I'm responsible for that... We're out of the Cup, we wanted to play a very different game and compete. The game took a direction because of the first goal but we have to see much more from the team and earn the right to win."

Arsenal and Eddie Nketiah had chances to equalize before the break but the scoreline did not change until Mohammed Kudus' early second-half goal. Jarrod Bowen tripled West Ham's lead 10 minutes later before Martin Odeegard scored a consolation goal in the dying embers of the game.