Mikel Arteta hopes Emile Smith Rowe injury is ‘nothing major’ after limping off against West Brom

The 20-year-old limped off in the victory over West Brom on Sunday to make him a doubt to face Chelsea

Mikel Arteta hopes Emile Smith Rowe’s hamstring injury is “nothing major” after the Arsenal star came off against West Brom on Sunday.

The Gunners youngster, who scored his first Premier League goal in the 3-1 victory over the Baggies, came off after 63 minutes at the Emirates.

But despite concern over his condition, Arteta is hopeful that the issue is related to the 20-year-old’s ongoing issue with “cramps”.

“I don’t know, he felt something in his hamstring so we took him off,” Arteta said after the victory, which sees the Gunners up to ninth in the table.

“Sometimes he cramps and that’s something that’s been happening for a while because he’s still adapting to the league, to the amount of games every three days. Hopefully it’s nothing major.”

Arteta also commented on the Gunners’ injury list with David Luiz, Pablo Mari and Granit Xhaka all absent against West Brom, though there is hope the trio could return against Chelsea on Wednesday.

“Let’s see how they recover,” Arteta added. “Again, we’ve lost so many players in recent weeks, so many big players.

“They have a huge effect in the team and it will be great because we have a very difficult game.”