Mesut Ozil returns for Arsenal - but seven players will miss Swansea trip

Arsenal will have Mesut Ozil available for the first time in 2017, having recovered from illness in time to face Swansea City. The Germany international has been sidelined with an undisclosed sickness for nearly three weeks, last playing in the Boxing Day win over West Bromwich Albion.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is set to restore several of his first-team regulars for the visit to the Liberty Stadium, after resting swathes of players for the FA Cup third-round win at Preston North End. Laurent Koscielny is fit after going off at Deepdale with cramp, while goalkeeper Petr Cech and top scorer Alexis Sanchez will also be recalled.

But Francis Coquelin, who picked up a hamstring injury during the 2-1 win, and Theo Walcott are both missing. Coquelin signed a new contract in mid-week but will be unavailable, while Walcott remains sidelined, having missed Arsenal's last five games, and may not return for another fortnight. The pair join Santi Cazorla, Kieran Gibbs, Mathieu Debuchy, Per Mertesacker and Hector Bellerin on the sidelines.

"We have the same players available as last week, plus Koscielny is coming back, Petr Cech is coming back in the squad," Arsenal boss Wenger told reporters ahead of the trip to south Wales. "Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez as well. Hector Bellerin is still out and Francis Coquelin is still out. They could make next week [against Burnley].

"Walcott is still out. He is one of the players who doesn't come back but he was not rested last week, he was injured. He will be out for three-and-a-half weeks I think and he will not be available for Burnley as well and he will need one more week, two more weeks.

"I'm not concerned because at the start it was a little calf problem. He was not comfortable and he started to train again and we had to pull him out again. I am not concerned because I think two weeks."

The 3-3 draw with Bournemouth in Arsenal's last Premier League outing saw them drop out of the top four – but they could leap into fourth above Manchester City, before Pep Guardiola's side face Everton at Goodison Park, if they can claim at least a point at relegation threatened Swansea. The north London club have a poor record against the Swans, losing five of their last 10 meetings with Paul Clement's side.