Rio Ferdinand has described Emile Smith Rowe as Arsenal’s most important player on current form.
The 21-year-old midfielder has been in top form for the Gunners so far this season and has scored four goals and made two assists in 11 Premier League games for the north London side.
Smith Rowe scored the winner for Arsenal in their 1-0 victory over Watford at The Emirates on Sunday as Mikel Arteta’s men continued their recent upturn in form to move into fifth place in the Premier League table.
The Arsenal academy product has featured in all 11 of the Gunners’ Premier League games so far this season and former Manchester United defender Ferdinand believes that Smith Rowe has already proven how important he is to Arteta’s side.
Speaking on his FIVE YouTube channel, Ferdinand said of Arsenal: “There’s a team, there’s a united team. There’s a togetherness that I haven’t seen at Arsenal for a long time.
“There’s nobody doing more right now than Emile Smith Rowe. He reminds me, with more end product it seems right now and I think he’ll go onto levels, his style is a little bit [Alex] Hleb.
“He plays low, socks similar, the way he moves and manipulates the ball, can keep people off balance all game. He’s got a bit of Hleb about him! He’s got a Robert Pires vibe a little bit.”
The attacking midfielder has been rewarded for his good form with his first call-up to the senior England team during the international break, and he joins Aaron Ramsdale and Bukayo Saka in Gareth Southgate’s squad.
The 1-0 victory over Watford was Arsenal’s third win on the spin in the Premier League and Arteta admitted his delight at seeing his side collect the three points heading into the final international break of the year.
“Winning before the international break is always great, it keeps the momentum going, the atmosphere good with the players that have to be here, good vibes,” said Arteta.
“And for the players who have to go on internationals, we have to try and plan things and know what we have to do there.”
Next up for Arsenal is a crunch clash away to Liverpool FC in the Premier League at Anfield on 20 November.