Unai Emery lauds Emile Smith Rowe's performance in Europa League

18-year-old starlet Smith Rowe shone in Arsenal's 3-0 win over FC Qarabag in the Europa League

Smith Rowe celebrates scoring his first Arsenal's goal (Getty)

Arsenal manager Unai Emery claimed he would “prefer not to speak a lot about” Emile Smith Rowe after the 18-year-old startlet bagged his first senior goal in Arsenal’s 3-0 win over FC Qarabag but it was already too late. The praises had been sung.

Making just his second start for Arsenal, Smith Rowe shone in a central attacking midfield role epitomising why such excitement has centred around him within the Arsenal academy.

“The last matches he played, for example against Brentford, he had three actions in the opposition boxes and didn’t score,” Emery said. “But today, he had two and one was a goal.

“In pre-season, Emile Smith Rowe worked very well with us. He knows how we want to play and he is very humble to continue improving and progressing with us and in every training and match, like today.

“A little bit of all the qualities he has: physical, mentality and quality with his right foot. Working in combinations with other players."

Smith Rowe joined the Arsenal academy when he was just nine-years-old making the trek to training from his then home in Thornton Heath.

He was praised by Jack Wilshere as one of the most exciting prospects he'd seen come through at London Colney before his departure to West Ham and Arsenal are initally hoping to nurture him slowly towards the first team this season.

Smith Rowe slots through the legs of FC Qarabag's keeper (Getty)

But after a stunning strike against Atletico Madrid during pre-season, the golden boy endeared himself to Emery and is on the fringes of a Premier League debut in the coming months.

“If I can say one condition, for me, it’s his mentality. He is humble and he is humble to listen every day in training, in the video analysis and also before the match to continue improving and to keep taking one step more, like today.

“I think this is one step more for him. I prefer to not speak a lot about him, because I think it’s best for him to continue to be humble and continue working in every match to keep his feet on the ground.”