Mikel Arteta praised Max Dowman for his response to the first significant injury of his career, as the teenager pushes to be involved in Arsenal's latest FA Cup test.
Dowman has been making history since breaking into the Arsenal side as a 15-year-old and in November, became the youngest ever player in the Champions League.
Dowman made his return to action for the Arsenal U21s last week and has looked sharp in first-team training.
The 16-year-old was on the bench for the win over Brighton on Wednesday night and is likely to be in the squad again this weekend when Arsenal travel to face Mansfield in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
Asked what a three-month injury absence would have taught Dowman, Arteta replied: "A lot.
"First of all you miss playing, that's the first thing. So don't take it for granted because it can be taken away from you when you don't expect it and for a long time as well.
"He had different routines. He starts to understand more the rehab coaches, the physios, the doctors. The importance of the scans, the discipline you need to maintain yourself when you have an injury.
"If not, after it is going to take you a long time to get back to your levels.
"He's done so well, he's been looking really good in training. Hopefully we can give him chances to play."
Dowman has missed the FA Cup campaign so far but made two appearances in the Carabao Cup earlier this season.
He came off the bench against Port Vale and then started in the win over Brighton in October.
In January, Dowman committed his future to Arsenal by signing a pre-contract agreement and he will put pen to paper on professional terms when he turns 17 on December 31.
