Arsenal v Liverpool: Mathieu Flamini to return to the Gunners' team for the FA Cup fifth round tie but Santi Cazorla is out

Midfielder has been suspended for Gunners' last three matches

James Orr
Friday 14 February 2014 12:50 GMT
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Referee Lee Mason shows the red card to Arsenal's French midfielder Mathieu Flamini against Southampton
Referee Lee Mason shows the red card to Arsenal's French midfielder Mathieu Flamini against Southampton (GETTY IMAGES)

Mathieu Flamini will return from suspension will return to the Gunners' team to face Liverpool in the FA Cup fifth round at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, but midfielder Santi Cazorla misses out because of illness.

The French midfielder has been out since 28 January because of his red card in the 2-2 draw at Southampton, and is back for Gunners against the same team who thrashed them 5-1 at Anfield in the Premier League last weekend.

"We have only one player back and that's [Mathieu] Flamini. He should be fresh. [Santi] Cazorla is ill in bed, he won't be available," he said.

Arsenal face Bayern Munich in the Champions League next Wednesday, and Wenger hinted that he will rotate his squad for the FA Cup fifth round fixture.

"I will play a team [against Liverpool] with a good opportunity, a good chance to qualify,” he told arsenal.com. “Will I rest one player, or two or three, I don’t know yet. Certainly we will have just have one focus, which is to win the game.

"We have rotated quite well, if you look at the number of players we have used. I have the same level of confidence in every player.

"For example, I rate [Carl] Jenkinson but [Bacary] Sagna has a bit more experience so when we go in a game with more pressure I give the advantage sometimes to the experienced [player].

"But I have the same level of confidence in every player in my squad. I have a short squad but a very level squad."

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