Arsenal Boss Confirms Huge Double Injury Boost Ahead Of Chelsea Clash

Arsene Wenger has handed Arsenal a major double injury boost after confirming that Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez should be fit to face Chelsea next weekend.

Ozil missed the Gunners’ 0-0 draw at Stoke City on Sunday afternoon with Wenger revealing after the game that he left the German international back in North London due to inflammation on his foot.

The Arsenal boss decided not to take a risk on his star playmaker at the Britannia but told Arsenal.com that he expects to have Ozil available when Chelsea travel to the Emirates Stadium next Sunday.

Wenger told the clubs website:

on Ozil… 
He had an inflammation on his foot and yesterday morning we looked and he was not very well. He was not 100 per cent at Liverpool so I decided to leave him out. I think he should be back for next Sunday.

The news will come as a welcome relief to Arsenal fans as Ozil has undoubtedly been the clubs key player this season with the former Real Madrid man chipping in with 16 assists already this campaign, so they’ll want him back in the team against Chelsea next weekend.

In a double boost for the North Londoners, Wenger also revealed last night that Sanchez is expected to make his long-awaited comeback against the defending Premier League champions.

Sanchez has been out since suffering a hamstring injury at the end of November and was close to being in contention to face Stoke on Sunday. However, Wenger decided not to risk the Chilean international but says he’s only a few days away from being 100% fit so Sanchez should therefore be ready to take on Chelsea.

When quizzed about why he didn’t select Sanchez yesterday, Wenger is quoted as saying by Goal:

“Because he was at 95 percent there, but with a muscular problem I didn’t want to take a gamble because if he has a setback now it’s three months,”

“I think he’s a few days away so it was not worth the gamble.”

It will be a huge boost for Arsenal to have Sanchez available again as they’ve sorely missed his attacking threat over the past eight weeks and it’s going to give Wenger’s men a major lift heading into the business end of the season.

Arsenal moved back to the top of the league table with their point at Stoke so they’ll be hoping to cement that position with a win over London rivals Chelsea on Sunday.