Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was full of praise for Mohamed Elneny following the midfielder’s return to competitive football following a knee injury in January 2023.
The Gunners defeated Brentford 1-0 in the third round of the EFL Cup, in a game which saw Elneny come on for Reiss Nelson in the final eight minutes.
“He fully deserves that, it’s been a long, long process for him,” he said, adding: “He’s put in a lot of hours and work, and it’s credit as well to the physios and the medical department because we need him. He brings something special to the team and I’m really pleased that he played some minutes today.”
Elneny took to his social media to reveal his delight at making a return to action: “There is nothing, absolutely nothing, to be compared with going back on the pitch after such a long time. And you, Arsenal fans, made it even more special with your warm welcome yesterday, thank you guys, and a huge thank you to everyone in the club for helping me to come back stronger.”
Elneny has been sidelined with a major injury and last played for Arsenal in December of last year, coming on as a substitute in a 4-2 win at Brighton & Hove Albion.