Arsenal team news vs West Ham: Predicted line up – Injury boost as six back, Ozil decision
ARSENAL have received a welcome injury boost ahead of their return to Premier League action against West Ham at the London Stadium on Saturday (12.30pm).
Arsenal have been boosted by the return to training of several first-team stars ahead of the Gunners trip to face West Ham.
Unai Emery’s side have been dealing with an injury crisis in recent weeks but the Spaniard has announced that six players are now available once again after fitness issues.
Hector Bellerin, Nacho Monreal, Shkodran Mustafi, Laurent Koscielny and Konstantinos Mavropanos are all available this weekend, as is star midfielder Mesut Ozil.
The German hasn’t played for Arsenal since Boxing Day due to a knee problem, although it remains to be seen if Ozil will face the Hammers despite having been given a clean bill of health.
Emery has been operating a three-man defence with wing-backs and is expected to field both Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in attack, meaning there may not be space for Ozil at the weekend.
There will be no such worries for Bellerin with the 23-year-old expected to come straight back into the side on the right flank at the expense of Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Stephan Lichtsteiner.
Sead Kolasinac has made the left wing-back role his own this season so Monreal may be shifted into a centre-back position alongside Mustafi and Sokratis Papastathopoulos.
Mavropanos and Koscielny provide further cover in defence, although neither are expected to start.
Arsenal team news: Mesut Ozil is one of six players available once again after injury (Image: GETTY•buildlineup.com)
Arsenal team news: Unai Emery has been dealing with an injury crisis in defence (Image: GETTY)
Granit Xhaka and Lucas Torreira have struck up an impressive partnership since the Uruguayan arrived at the club and will be asked to continue that here, with Matteo Guendouzi forced to watch from the bench.
Meanwhile, the Arsenal boss may bow to fans’ wishes and partner Lacazette and Aubameyang in attack – with the duo having provided 21 goals between them so far this season.
Danny Welbeck (ankle) and Rob Holding (knee) are both out for the season while Henrikh Mkhitaryan is also sidelined after fracturing a metatarsal in his right foot.
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Arsenal team news: Is this how the Gunners will line up against West Ham? (Image: buildlineup.com)
Arsenal predicted line-up vs West Ham United – Premier League