Arsenal have received a major boost with an important trio of players returning from injury, including Mesut Ozil, Aaron Ramsey and Mathieu Flamini. The Gunners play Southampton later during Sunday night at the Emirates.
After their defeat against Southampton last week, they would be happy to see the back of Olivier Giroud, who was suspended as well.
Arsenal would still be missing the services of their summer signing, Danny Welbeck who is yet to fully recover from thigh injury.
Along with the English striker, Mikel Arteta and Abou Diaby would not be featuring in the match with calf injuries to both the players, while English international, Jack Wilshere has been sidelined with an ankle injury.
Though, the Gunners might be missing out on these players, Mesut Ozil return to the team squad is a big boost for Arsenal.
Ozil has been sidelined ever since the knee ligament injury, which he suffered around three months ago. The player returned to full training in the first week of the New Year, to be precise, 2nd of January.
This match could prove to be a good comeback game for the Gunners star, as they have an all important clash against Manchester City next week, where he needs to match fit as well.
Arsene Wenger stated that the German international would be available for selection against Stoke City.
He said in the Press Conference (about Ozil), "Look he's an exceptional football player,"
"He gives you always continuity in your game; he's a very creative player. Ideally you want all of your best players available. But the advantage of these players -- for example Giroud, Koscielny, Debuchy, Özil -- at the moment where most of the players in the league have 26, 27 games in their legs, they have four or five. So if we can get them ready and fresh, which they are, but competitive, it can give us a new impulse."
Though, the Arsenal manager did not state as to who would take the goalkeeper's position at the Emirates. David Ospina or Wojciech Szczęsny?
When asked about it, he said, ''I haven't selected the first 11 yet,"
He further added, "I don't want to talk about what happens in our dressing room because what happens stays in the dressing room (referring t o the smoking incident). Apart from the fact it doesn't stay in the dressing room!"
Wenger also claimed that Szczęsny will learn from his mistakes.
