Arteta must now unleash “exceptional” £40k-p/w Arsenal gem with "a Robert Pires vibe" - opinion

Arsenal can overtake their north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur and break back into the top four this evening if they secure a win against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

The Gunners’ previous league match saw them secure a 1-0 win against Aston Villa away from home before the recent international break, leaving Mikel Arteta’s side with five victories in their past six league games.

One player that should be in the team to face the Eagles on Monday night is midfielder Emile Smith Rowe.

As a product of Arsenal’s youth academy, the youngster racked up 21 goals and eight assists in 54 appearances across the club’s U18 and U23 sides before eventually breaking into the senior team.

With nine goals and two assists to his name in 24 league appearances this season, the Englishman, who is reportedly picking up a weekly wage of £40k-per-week, currently stands alongside Bukayo Saka as the club’s top scorer.

To further highlight the 21-year-old’s attacking talent, with 20 of the 34 shots at goal he’s had being on target, only Manchester United midfielder Fred (60%) has racked up a higher percentage of shots on target than Arsenal’s young star (58.8%) in the Premier League.

His overall performances for the north London side, which have been described as “exceptional” by his manager, have earned him a season rating of 6.89 from WhoScored, making him the sixth highest-rated player in Arteta’s squad.

Labelled as a “difference maker” for the Gunners by former Arsenal figure Mesut Ozil, Smith Rowe certainly has what it takes to make a difference for his side once again this evening in front of goal against Palace.

After all, in the words of Rio Ferdinand, not only does he echo Alexander Hleb, but he’s also “got a Robert Pires vibe” to