According to the Mirror, Arsenal will be missing the services of about five stars for the Europa League match against Bate Borisov though Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey is expected to return. The Gunners will be without the suspended Alexandre Lacazette as they look to turn around their Europa League round of 32 tie at home to BATE Borisov on Thursday night.
The striker was sent off late on in a 1-0 defeat to the Belarusian champions a week ago and will miss the return leg. Aaron Ramsey is fit following a knee injury and Mesut Ozil could be recalled, while Danny Welbeck (ankle), Hector Bellerin and Rob Holding (both knee) remain sidelined and Ainsley Maitland-Niles is fighting an illness. Unai Emery says Ozil is working hard in training after former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger questioned the playmaker’s effort levels.
Wenger recently said the decision to offer Ozil a long-term contract last year may have left the German in a “comfort zone”. Ozil has struggled to secure a regular first-team place under Emery, who replaced Wenger at the helm last May. But Emery said: “The key is in his hands and he is working very well this week. “He needs to be consistent in training and for matches, without injury or being sick. Without that we can see the best Mesut with us.”
The Gunners must overturn a 1-0 first leg deficit and Emery added: “The Europa League improved a lot, it’s very difficult to win. Every team wants to win this competition, it gives you a title and the chance to play in the Champions League. “We need a big result. We had chances to score [last week]. Our efficiency we need to improve tomorrow. “We must manage 90 minutes to get a good result for us. We need to be consistent in 90 minutes.”
Provisional squad: Leno, Cech, Jenkinson, Lichtsteiner, Koscielny, Mustafi, Papastathopoulos, Monreal, Kolasinac, Maitland-Niles, Xhaka, Elneny, Torreira, Guendouzi, Iwobi, Ozil, Ramsey, Suarez, Mkhitaryan, Aubameyang, Nketiah.