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Arsenal confirm huge double injury boost ahead of Liverpool trip

By on August 22, 2019

mesut ozil arsenal 2018

Arsenal have confirmed a huge double injury boost ahead of our trip to Liverpool with Mesut Ozil and Granit Xhaka set to return to the squad on Saturday evening.

Xhaka sat out the 2-1 victory over Burnley at the Emirates Stadium last time out after suffering bruising to his lower back and legs leading up to the game. However, he’s now in full training again so the midfielder is expected to return to the squad for the trip to Anfield this weekend.

Ozil missed our opening win over Newcastle following fresh security issues at his home and wasn’t deemed fit enough for the Burnley game after being ill a few days before that match. But the German playmaker is now in full training and should be back in contention to face Liverpool, which will be a big boost.

However, none of our other injury absentees are ready just yet. Rob Holding has been training well in recent weeks but he’s still lacking match fitness having been out for several months with a knee injury. The centre-back will play for the U23s on Friday night as he continues to edge closer to his first team return.

Hector Bellerin is a little further behind Holding in his rehabilitation from an ACL injury as he’s still following his recovery program with a view to being back in full training in October so Ainsley Maitland-Niles will continue to deputise at right-back.

granit xhaka arsenal

Kieran Tierney is also several weeks away from overcoming a groin injury that he was carrying when he arrived from Celtic on deadline day while Dinos Mavropanos is still nursing his own groin complaint. Both players are due back in full training in October.

The final injury absentee is Emile Smith Rowe and the young midfielder could be back in training by the end of the month as he looks to recover from a niggling groin injury.

The team news update on Arsenal.com confirmed:

Granit Xhaka
Back in full training.

Mesut Ozil
Back in full training.

Rob Holding
Left knee. Continuing with on-field rehabilitation and now participating in full training with the first team.

Emile Smith Rowe
Groin. Aiming to participate in full training by the end of August.

Hector Bellerin
Left knee. Continuing with on-field rehabilitation. Aiming to participate in full training in October.

Kieran Tierney
Groin. Continues to receive treatment and further assessments. Aiming to participate in full training in October.

Dinos Mavropanos
Groin. Continues to receive treatment and further assessments. Aiming to participate in full training in October.

It will be a big boost to have Xhaka and Ozil available again but it will be interesting to see how Unai Emery lines-up against Liverpool as Dani Ceballos has to keep his place after a MOTM performance against Burnley while Joe Willock and Matteo Guendouzi were also impressive.

Arsenal have won our opening two matches for the first time in 10 years but that record will be put to the test against Liverpool as we’ve had a terrible recent record at Anfield.