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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
tom dutton

Latest Arsenal training pictures show Mesut Ozil and team-mates in high spirits ahead of FA Cup semi-final

Arsenal have welcomed back Mesut Ozil to training after he recovered from a back injury that has kept him out of the squad in recent weeks.

It leaves Mikel Arteta with a decision to make ahead of Saturday's FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City at Wembley, with Ozil declaring earlier this week he is "ready".

The Gunners were outclassed by the same opponents in their first game back from the coronavirus shutdown, but Arteta knows the FA Cup now presents his side with their best chance of qualifying for next season's Europa League.

To do so he must mastermind victory over his former employers, and his players looked in high spirits in training on Friday as they prepared for a stern test against Pep Guardiola's men.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who was rested for Wednesday's League win over Liverpool before making a brief cameo, was snapped alongside Ozil, with the Gabon international expected to be restored to the XI.

Ozil's return is less certain. The 31-year-old has not featured since the restart and Arteta put his absence down to "footballing reasons" earlier this week.

Scroll through our gallery at the top of the page for the latest pictures from Arsenal training...

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