Mesut Ozil returns for Arsenal as captain for today's Premier League clash against Burnley having been dropped in midweek against Tottenham.
Ozil was left out of Unai Emery's matchday squad to face Tottenham in Wednesday night's EFL Cup clash at Emirates Stadium due to tactical reasons, sparking speculation that the Gunners may be prepared to let their highest-paid player leave either in January or the summer transfer window.
Emery refused to rule out a potential Ozil exit after Arsenal lost 2-0 to Spurs, and the head coach has been frustrated with the playmaker at times this season due to a clash of styles.
There are question marks over whether the 30-year-old attacker will ever suit Emery's pressing system, but the Spanish coach insisted that the German has a future at Arsenal by stating on Friday: "I want every player with a good mentality to help us and give us their characteristics and quality. We need Mesut Ozil."
Ozil now captains the Gunners against Sean Dyche's Burnley, while Lucas Torreira is on the bench with Emery keen to give the midfielder a rest with a hectic fixture list coming up.
Arsenal XI: Leno, Maitland-Niles, Papastathopoulos, Monreal, Kolasinac, Guendouzi, Elneny, Xhaka, Ozil, Lacazette, Aubameyang
Subs: Cech, Ramsey, Torreira, Lichtsteiner, Iwobi, Nketiah, Saka
Burnley XI: Hart, Bardsley, Long, Tarkowski, Mee, Taylor, Westwood, Cork, Hendrick, Barnes, Wood
Subs: Heaton, Lowton, Vokes, Gibson, Vydra, McNeil, Koiki
Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire)
