Darren Bent urges Mikel Arteta to start ‘top-quality’ Arsenal player vs Crystal Palace today

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TalkSPORT pundit Darren Bent has urged Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta to give Emile Smith Rowe a start against Crystal Palace today.

The Gunners have won just once in their last seven games in all competitions. They are in desperate need of a victory, and Bent feels bringing Smith Rowe into the side will give everyone at Arsenal a lift.

Darren Bent urges Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta to start Emile Smith Rowe

Arsenal star Emile Smith Rowe has been in the news a lot over the last 24 hours.

Reports emerged yesterday that West Ham United are interested in signing the 23-year-old Arsenal midfielder. The Hammers apparently even entered talks with the Gunners to get him on loan.

Arsenal fans are desperate for Smith Rowe to stay and so is Darren Bent. The talkSPORT pundit, who is a Gooner himself, loves the midfielder, and he has urged Mikel Arteta to ‘trust him’.

Bent also believes bringing Smith Rowe back into the side will freshen things up, which is necessary at the Emirates after what has been a really disappointing run over the last few weeks.

He said on talkSPORT last night: “Listen, I’m a big fan of Smith Rowe. I think all Arsenal fans love him. I was at a Champions League game this season, he came on I think it was, the roar was insane.

“You talk about you need players, you need backups or to rotate players, he should be given an opportunity. You’ve got to think back to the 21/22 season where he got 10 goals, Saka got double figures. They pretty much saved Arteta’s job.

“Them two, stand-alone, stood up when Arsenal had all this stuff going on, these were the two players that stood up to be counted. I mean Smith Rowe was outstanding that season.

“Since then, he’s had the injuries, hasn’t really played much football since then, but listen, at some point, you’ve got to trust him again. I hate to see the fact that potentially, he might be used to bring other players in because you’ve got a top-quality player there.

“He’s 23, he’s ready to go, there’s been times this season where Arsenal’s performances haven’t been great and you know what, it needs a change, needs a freshen up, it’ll give everyone a lift. Get Smith Rowe in. Let him start a game, let him go forward.”

Smith Rowe hasn’t started since October

Every Arsenal fan loves Emile Smith Rowe – there’s no debate there.

When he first broke into Arsenal‘s team under Mikel Arteta, he was outstanding. Along with Bukayo Saka, he carried the Gunners on his back. He was even better than Saka at times.

Injuries have sadly stalled his career. He has started just two games in all competitions this season – the last one was against Sheffield United in a 5-0 win back in October.

Arsenal take on Crystal Palace today and we really think Smith Rowe deserves a start. He has the quality needed to deliver and if he gets a consistent run of games, we’re convinced he will produce the goods.