Arsene Wenger has played down the severity of the ankle injury which forced Mesut Ozil off in Arsenal’s 2-0 victory over Everton in the Premier League.
The German was helped from the field by Arsenal’s medical staff after 74 minutes at Goodison Park, but Wenger indicated that it was little more than a knock.
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“It’s ankle problem but it looks more a kick than a ligament problem,” he is quoted as saying by Goal.
This news will come as a major relief to the Gunners. They had just kept their slim title hopes alive and would not want them derailed by an injury to Ozil.
Goals from Danny Welbeck and Alex Iwobi – his first in the top flight – saw Arsenal end a difficult week in cup competitions with a first win in four league games
Leicester City’s victory at Crystal Palace kept the deficit to third-place Arsenal at 11 points, although the Londoners have a game in hand on the table toppers.
Ozil, by some distance the Premier League’s leading assist provider with 18, is integral to any chance that the Gunners have of overturning that sizeable margin.
Wenger’s comments suggest that the World Cup winner could be fit for Arsenal’s next league game, against FA Cup conquerers Watford in a fortnight’s time.
Ozil’s Germany play England during the upcoming international break. It could be that the 27-year-old playmaker sits that match out to rest his ankle problem.
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