Mikel Arteta admits he is concerned by the fitness struggles of Emile Smith Rowe.
The 22-year-old, who has been plagued by injury and illness over recent months, is sidelined with pain in his groin. There have been suggestions of surgery.
With time running out until the World Cup, Arteta said: ‘It’s very frustrating. He’s a kid that loves playing. It’s the biggest thing in his life. And when he’s not capable of doing that, especially after the run of games and performances that he had with us the year before, it’s just difficult.