Arsenal adulation ‘surreal’ for Emile Smith Rowe as young Gunner fires 10th goal

Emile Smith Rowe admits it was “surreal” to hear his name ring around the Emirates Stadium as he hit his 10th goal of the season in Arsenal’s victory over Brentford.

The Gunners kept up their top-four aspirations with a 2-1 win as Smith Rowe and fellow academy graduate Bukayo Saka scored the second-half goals before Christian Norgaard’s last-gasp consolation strike.

Smith Rowe is Arsenal’s top goalscorer this season but came in for just his second start in the previous nine league games, with Gabriel Martinelli missing out through suspension.

Following a frustrating first half, the England international broke the deadlock just three minutes after the interval with a fine solo effort.

Saka then doubled the lead with a well-taken strike, his eighth of the campaign, as the home fans burst into a chorus of their take on Status Quo’s ‘Rocking All Over The World’.

With the lyrics altered to hail Saka and Smith Rowe, the latter spoke of the feeling of having his name – as well as that of his close friend – echo around the stadium.

Here we goooo…