Arsenal handed major injury boost ahead of Villarreal

Arsenal have received some welcome injury news ahead of the biggest game of their season (so far) on Thursday as Mikel Arteta’s side travel to Estadio de la Cerámica to face Villarreal in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final.

A build-up dominated by everything but matters on the pitch, Arteta and his staff will have been doing their best to deflect the players’ attentions from fan protests and potential billionaire takeovers as they seek to rescue their abysmal campaign.

Following on from a magnificent 4-0 win over Slavia Prague in the previous round, Arsenal have hosted relegation doomed Fulham and winless-in-six Everton at the Emirates Stadium, scoring just once and accruing a solitary point.

With confidence shot and injuries plaguing the squad at the worst possible time, taking on former boss Unai Emery on his new stomping ground is set to be a formidable task.

Arsenal handed major injury boost ahead of Villarreal with David Luiz back in training ahead of Europa League semi-final

Up front the issue of who could start in attack rests on Alexandre Lacazette recovering from a worrying hamstring pull and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang recuperating from contracting malaria, having not featured for what will be close to three weeks.

Defence has its own issues with Kieran Tierney unlikely to feature again this season and David Luiz having to undergo surgery to fix a knee problem, yet there is some encouraging news regarding the latter.

The Evening Standard report that Luiz is now back in training with the Gunners, and is trying to prove his fitness for the trip to Spain.

Not featuring since March 21, it will be a big ask for the Brazilian to be ready to return for a fixture of this magnitude, yet he is said to have been ‘working hard’ to get fit and has a chance of playing.

If so he will replace Rob Holding in the heart of defence. While Holding has formed a solid enough backline alongside Pablo Mari, Luiz’s progressive qualities and range of pass are elements the Englishman does not possess as abundantly.

Arsenal have looked blunt in attack in recent weeks and the 34-year-old’s contributions in building through the thirds quicker are more essential than most supporters would care to admit given his obvious flaws.

Luiz is, however, a player for the big occasion. If he’s fit, Arteta must start him.