Salah-Eddine Oulad M’Hand made his first start on loan with FC Den Bosch on Wednesday night, as he steps up his injury comeback.

Arsenal midfielder Salah-Eddine Oulad M’Hand moved on loan to FC Den Bosch over the summer, but at the time he was still carrying an injury from last season.

The Dutch second-tier side decided to take a risk on the 20-year-old anyway, and they’ve helped to nurse him back to fitness over the last couple of months.

The former Dutch u17 international made his return to training in late September, before making a cameo appearance against FC Groningen at the end of the month.

Oulad M’Hand went on to make three further substitute appearances, before finally returning to the starting lineup on Wednesday night.

Den Bosch were playing against Excelsior in the Dutch Cup, the KNVB Beker, and Oulad M’Hand started and played for over an hour.

The game didn’t go entirely to play, with Den Bosch going on to lose in extra time, but Oulad M’Hand’s focus has to be on his fitness for now.

This was the first time in 19 months that the player had played more than 45 minutes in a single match, a run that stretches all the way back to the 2021/22 season.

Now we face an anxious wait to see if the midfielder has come through the match without suffering a setback.

Den Bosch are next in action on Saturday, November 4th at 17:45 GMT.