KEY POINTS

  • Aaron Ramsey has not played for Arsenal since the opening day of the season.
  • Ozil allayed injury fears after being replaced at half-time during Germany's win over Northern Ireland.

Aaron Ramsey has returned to training with the first-team after spending almost two months on the sidelines with a hamstring injury ahead of Arsenal's game against Swansea City on Saturday (15 October). The Welsh midfielder suffered the knock during the Gunners' opening Premier League weekend loss to Liverpool.

The 25-year-old midfielder returned to training late following his commitments with Wales at Euro 2016, but was still deemed to be fit enough to make the starting lineup against the Reds. Ramsey's involvement lasted just a minute after the hour mark, when he had to be replaced by Santi Cazorla with a hamstring injury, which was initially expected to sideline him for four weeks, but it has seen him miss the last nine games for Arsenal as well as his country's first three World Cup qualifiers.

The Telegraph reports that the midfielder has finally returned to training with the rest of the first-team squad, who have not travelled with their nation teams, but is unlikely to be risked for the game against the south Wales side at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday. Wenger was hoping to have Ramsey back after the international break, but he could make his return for the midweek Champions League game against Ludogorets on Wednesday (19 October) or next weekend's home game against Middlesbrough.

The Wales international is going to face a difficult task of breaking back into the Arsenal staring XI with Granit Xhaka, Santi Cazorla and Francis Coquelin ahead of him in the pecking order at the moment for a place in the deep lying midfielder's role. He is likely to be eased into the team by Arsene Wenger, who will be keen to avoid a relapse of the injury.

Mesut Ozil, meanwhile, has allayed fears of a possible injury after Arsenal supporters feared another blow after the midfielder was substituted at half-time during Germany's 2-0 win over Northern Ireland on Tuesday (11 October). The Gunners midfielder took to social media to ease any possible fears of a setback.

Aaron Ramsey
Aaron Ramsey has returned to first-team training ahead of Arsenal's clash against Swansea Getty

"Thanks for taking care because of my substitution but everything is all right guys," the former Real Madrid midfielder wrote on his official Twitter account.