Arsenal team news: Injuries, suspensions and line-up vs Everton

Everything you need to know ahead of the Premier League clash at Emirates Stadium on Saturday evening

Arsenal's hectic January is over and the Gunners can finally focus on the remainder of their season, starting with Saturday's match against Everton.

Arsene Wenger's side were defeated by Swansea in a 3-1 loss on Tuesday, though the blow of losing Alexis Sanchez to Manchester United blow was softened with the arrivals of Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

The latter duo combined for 62 goals while at Borussia Dortmund together in the 2015-16 season and Arsenal fans will be hoping that partnership can help the club fulfil their top four ambitions.

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Currently eight points from fourth-placed Chelsea, it's imperative that the Gunners improve their consistency, starting on Saturday in a match where Wenger's side will come up against a familiar face in the shape of Theo Walcott.

ARSENAL INJURIES

Danny Welbeck misses out with a hip injury while Jack Wilshere and new signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang face late fitness tests due to being ill over the past few days.

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Another January arrival in Henrikh Mkhitaryan will start against the Toffees after a short cameo appearance in the 3-1 defeat at Swansea last week.

"We had Jack [Wilshere] who was sick - I still have to assess him today," said Wenger. " I hope he will be capable of being in the squad. He’s better. He’ll train with the team today and we’ll see how he feels. Aubameyang was sick as well so we have to assess him today. Apart from that, Welbeck is not completely back from injury. He’s not ready.

"Certainly Mkhitaryan will start. That’s a possibility, yes. Aubameyang, I have to assess how well he feels."

Spanish midfielder Santi Cazorla remains a long-term absentee with an Achilles injury.

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ARSENAL SUSPENSIONS

Arsenal have no players suspended for this game.

ARSENAL POTENTIAL STARTING LINE-UP

Mkhitaryan will make his first start for Arsenal against Everton in an attack likely to feature Alexandre Lacazette and Mesut Ozil.

Aubameyang faces a late fitness test but is unlikely to be thrown straight into the starting XI.

Granit Xhaka and Aaron Ramsey could continue in central midfield but Wenger may decide to sacrifice Mohamed Elneny as a defensive midfielder to give the Gunners more attacking options.

The back four of Nacho Monreal, Laurent Koscielny, Shkodran Mustafi and Hector Bellerin is expected to remain unchanged.

EVERTON TEAM NEWS

Everton's January transfer window saw Theo Walcott arrive from Arsenal and the former Gunners man scored twice in Wednesday's win over Leicester.

Sam Allardyce's side also landed Turkish forward Cenk Tosun and centre back Elaquim Mangala on a loan deal from Manchester City, while also finally selling Ross Barkley to Chelsea.

The Toffees, who are out the bottom three and sit in ninth place, are without Leighton Baines, James McCarthy, Ramiro Funes Mori and Maarten Stekelenburg through injuries.

Wayne Rooney is the club's top scorer with 11 goals to his name so far this season.

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BEST OPTA MATCH FACTS

Arsenal are unbeaten in 23 home matches against Everton in all competitions (W19 D4) since a 2-1 Premier League defeat in January 1996 under Bruce Rioch.
Everton have played more Premier League matches at the Emirates without winning (11 – W0 D4 L7) than any other club.
The Gunners have beaten Everton more often in league games than any other side has beaten another in the history of the Football League (95).
Mesut Özil has had a hand in seven goals in eight Premier League appearances against the Toffees (two goals, five assists) and has scored or assisted in each meeting at the Emirates (one goal, four assists).
Arsenal new signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had a hand in 172 goals in 213 matches in all competitions for Dortmund (141 goals, 31 assists), averaging a goal or assist every 96 minutes.
Since his Premier League debut in September 2013, Mesut Ozil has provided more assists than any other player (49 in 136 apps). The quickest a player reached 50 assists in the competition was Eric Cantona, who did so in 143 games.
Sam Allardyce has collected just three points from a possible 39 in away Premier League games at Arsenal (P13 W0 D3 L10), losing each of the last eight in a row, all at the Emirates.