Arsenal Team News: Wenger’s Update On Ozil, Walcott, Bellerin & Coquelin

Arsenal will be looking to climb back in to the top four with a win when we take on Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Ahead of the game, Arsene Wenger has been speaking to the media at his pre-match press conference this morning and he’s offered reporters a team news and injury update.

The boss was pleased to confirm that a number of key players are set to return to the squad with the likes of Petr Cech,  Laurent Kosicleny and Alexis Sanchez back in contention after being rested for our FA Cup win at Preston North End last weekend.

Mesut Ozil is also expected to return to the starting eleven against Swansea after missing our last three matches in all competitions due to a bout of flu over the New Year period.

However, unfortunately Wenger also revealed that Hector Bellerin remains unavailable as he continues to nurse an ankle injury that he picked up in training shortly before the trip to Preston last week.

Francis Coquelin is also still on the sidelines with a hamstring injury that he sustained during our draw at Bournemouth earlier this month but the boss says the duo could return for the visit of Burnley next Sunday.

The final update was regarding the fitness of Theo Walcott and Wenger confirmed that the attacker remains out with a calf injury which has already kept him out of the last four matches.

Walcott is now set to miss at least another two games but the boss insists he’s not concerned the injury is anything serious so hopefully Theo will be available again for our FA Cup fourth round tie at the end of the month.

Here is what Wenger told reporters this morning:

At Colney. Wenger: “Koscielny is coming back, Cech, Ozil and Sanchez all back. Bellerin is still out as is Coquelin. They are not far.”

— James Olley (@JamesOlley) January 13, 2017

Bellerin and Coquelin both out, could return next week

— John Cross (@johncrossmirror) January 13, 2017

Walcott out for tomorrow and next Sunday’s game against Burnley. Ongoing calf problem. Wenger insists not concerned it is anything serious.

— James Olley (@JamesOlley) January 13, 2017

We head in to the weekend action sitting fifth in the table but we can move level on points with second-placed Liverpool if we come away with all three points against Swansea.