Arsenal forward Emile Smith Rowe will miss his side's Premier League clash with Everton this weekend through injury, journalist Charles Watts has confirmed.

The Lowdown: Injury-prone season

The 22-year-old is a hugely exciting young player but injuries have continued to hold him back throughout his career, limiting him to 88 appearances.

This season, Smith Rowe has only appeared for 49 minutes of league action, allowing him to play very little part in Arsenal's table-topping campaign.

The Gunners head to struggling Everton on Saturday lunchtime for another huge clash, but the Englishman will again play no part in proceedings.

The Latest: Smith Rowe out with Everton

Taking to Twitter on Friday, Watts confirmed that the attacker is injured for the weekend action:

The Verdict: Becoming a worrying issue

Injuries are cruel for any footballer and Smith Rowe's progress is being hampered so much by constant fitness issues that it means he is threatening to be left behind at Arsenal.

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While the likes of Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli are all key, priceless players, making a combined 56 out of a possible 57 appearances in the league, their teammate is continually on the sidelines.

Smith Rowe is contracted at Arsenal until 2026 and there certainly shouldn't be a thought of selling him yet - he has been hailed as 'special' by Jamie Carragher - but he must rid himself of these issues to fully make the grade at the Emirates.

With Leandro Trossard now brought in, and other new faces potentially arriving in the summer, it isn't going to be easy for Smith Rowe to become a genuine key man if he can't be available often.