Team News: Arsenal Quartet Still On The Treatment Table Ahead Of FA Cup Clash

By The Editor
on 3rd January 2019

Unai Emery is likely to be without a defensive trio as well as Mesut Ozil for the Blackpool game…

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Unai Emery could be without defensive trio Hector Bellerin, Nacho Monreal and Shkodran Mustafi for the trip to Blackpool as they continue to recover from their respective injuries, the club has confirmed.

Monreal and Mustafi are still being treated for hamstring strains, while Bellerin is recovering from the calf strain he picked up at Southampton last month.

Also, Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil is also doubtful for the trip with Unai Emery unsure as to when he’ll return from his knee injury.

Given the history of Ozil’s mysterious disappearances this season, we can’t be completely sure that he’s genuinely injured or if Emery doesn’t deem him ready good enough to include him in the squad at the moment.

The head coach has already left Ozil out of a matchday squad despite the German being fit for our Carabao Cup tie against Spurs, and what would stop him from doing it again?

In terms of the aforementioned defensive trio, one hopes their returns are nearing given that they’re being assessed as to whether they can make the squad on Saturday.

Our football deeply relies on full-backs and in Bellerin, the 23-year-old has returned to his previous best and is seriously being missed.

As for Monreal, he’s still slightly superior to Sead Kolasinac in a back four, while Mustafi is another body needed in a central defence lacking numbers.