Mathieu Flamini
Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini believes the Gunners are close to hitting peak form Reuters

Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini believes the Gunners will hit peak form in the second part of the season due to the return of a number of injured stars, with Mesut Ozil, Mikel Arteta, Theo Walcott, Aaron Ramsey and Laurent Koscielny expected to return in the coming weeks.

Following their 2-2 draw against Liverpool on Sunday 21 December, Arsene Wenger's side are sixth in the Premier League, four points off the Champions League zone and 12 away from leaders Chelsea.

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But while Nacho Monreal, Olivier Giroud and Mathieu Debuchy have returned to action, the key quintet of Ozil, Arteta, Walcott, Ramsey and Koscielny are scheduled to the same in the coming weeks to give Wenger a boost, while Jack Wilshere will be back in February.

"It would be crazy to think the opposite because we lost so many key players and having them back is very important for the team," Flamini said to Standard Sport.

"We definitely need them because in the championship and the last stages of the Champions League, you cannot do it with 11 players. You need 25, so it is important for us to have them back.

"The season is going to be long. We are only arriving at Christmas now. There are still a lot of games to go, so we take one game after another and focus on the next matches. I am very confident in the team, very confident in the quality we have because we have a few top players."

Even though Brendan Rodgers' team dominated much of the game during the draw on Sunday, Flamini believes the Gunners are improving in the big games, after suffering heavy defeats against Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea last season.

The France midfielder said: "I believe we are better at it than we were. If you remember the last score here, it was 4-0 at half-time and 5-1. Of course, we have improved.

"There was a possibility to win it but sometimes you have to accept it. Frustration is a good word. However, I really enjoyed it because I feel like I am made for English football."

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