Emile Smith Rowe is expected to be out of action for two weeks with a head injury, despite Unai Emery suggesting it was nothing too serious.

Smith Rowe picked up the knock against Nottingham Forest in Arsenal’s League Cup clash on Tuesday, with a clash of heads and a stray elbow from Jack Robinson catching him.

Initially, Unai Emery seemed to suggest it wasn’t going to be a problem, and it was just a knock.

“He received a knock in his head and it was for precaution that we changed him,” Emery said. “But, I am thinking that it is going to be not a serious problem. It was one knock in his head.”

The Mail report that Arsenal aren’t going to take any risks with the head injury though, and they’re set to keep Smith Rowe on the sidelines for a fortnight. The FIFA protocol requires that they keep him out for at least six days, but the club believe double that amount of time is better for a young player.

The good news is that, since the injury isn’t anything more serious, there shouldn’t be any long-term effects.

The international break is coming up after next weekend’s trip to Bournemouth anyway. Of the matches he had a realistic chance of featuring in, Smith Rowe is only likely to miss the Standard Liege game. We wish him well for a speedy return to the pitch after that!