Ozil back in Arsenal line-up to face Burnley

Arsenal boss Unai Emery has handed Mesut Ozil a recall as captain for Saturday’s Premier League match against Burnley at Emirates Stadium.

Ozil was a surprise omission from the matchday 18 for Wednesday’s 2-0 EFL Cup quarter-final defeat to rivals Tottenham, heightening speculation he could be set for a move in the January transfer window.

But Emery has restored Ozil to his starting XI as one of six changes to the side that lost a first Premier League game since August at Southampton last weekend.

Sokratis Papastathopoulos is back from suspension to slightly ease Arsenal’s defensive worries, with Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Sead Kolasinac and Mohamed Elneny also in – the latter making his first Premier League start of the season.

Ö Captain

in the team
with the armband#WeveGotOzil #ARSBUR pic.twitter.com/ASnSGXXNue

— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) December 22, 2018

Alexandre Lacazette partners Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in attack, while Burnley are also set to operate with a pair of strikers as Chris Wood returns to play up front alongside Ashley Barnes in place of the injured Aaron Lennon.

Clarets boss Sean Dyche is sticking with the five-man defence that just fell short in a 1-0 defeat to Spurs last weekend, with Jeff Hendrick replacing Robbie Brady in the only other alteration from the side that started at Wembley.

TEAM NEWS: Here’s your Clarets team to face @Arsenal today. pic.twitter.com/XBnirDIxuw

— Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) December 22, 2018