Arsenal Dealt Blow As Key Man Ruled Out Of Liverpool Clash

Arsenal have been dealt a major blow with the news that Mesut Ozil has been ruled out of tonight’s clash with Liverpool with flu, according to Goal.

Ozil was sent home from training on Wednesday after turning up to London Colney with flu-like symptoms having been photographed enjoying a team bowling session the previous night.

It initially looked as though the German international would recover in time to make the trip to Anfield as Arsene Wenger suggested at his pre-match press conference on Thursday that the playmaker ‘should be ok’.

However, Goal are reporting that the 28-year-old has been ruled out of the Liverpool clash after club doctors advised he continued to rest at home and he failed to travel with the rest of his team mates to Merseyside on Friday evening.

The report indicates that Ozil is expected to be fit for Arsenal’s Champions League last-16 second leg with Bayern Munich next week but will play no part against Liverpool tonight.

If true, it will be a huge blow for the Gunners as despite Ozil’s questionable form of late, the German superstar is still one of their most important players and no doubt Wenger would have wanted him fit this evening.

However, a conflicting report in the Daily Mail suggests that Ozil HAS travelled to Merseyside with the rest of the Arsenal squad and Wenger will make a late decision over his availability.

We’ll have to wait until the teams are announced later this afternoon to see which report was right but the result of the clash at Anfield is going to be pivotal in determining who finishes in the top four.

Arsenal currently sit fourth in the Premier League table but Liverpool are just one point behind in fifth so it’s all to play for this evening.