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Arsenal's Petr Cech substituted during West Brom clash as Mesut Ozil misses game altogether

Petr Cech goes off injured against West Brom
Image: Petr Cech goes off injured against West Brom

Petr Cech was forced off with a leg injury during Arsenal's clash at West Brom, with Mesut Ozil missing the visit to The Hawthorns altogether.

Arsenal stopper Cech went down in the 35th minute of Saturday's live Sky Sports encounter after initially pulling up when attempting to sweep a left-footed pass away to Shkodran Mustafi.

Cech was replaced in goal by Colombia international David Ospina, who has been Arsenal's first-choice goalkeeper for cup matches this season.

Ospina has not started a Premier League match for Arsenal this term, last featuring from the outset in a league game in April 2016, a 3-3 draw at West Ham.

A dejected Mesut Ozil during Arsenal's humbling 5-1 defeat at Bayern Munich
Image: Mesut Ozil has picked up a hamstring injury

Ozil had earlier been ruled out of the game with a hamstring injury suffered during training on Friday.

"He had a hamstring problem yesterday in training," Arsene Wenger told Sky Sports.

"He's been in for treatment today. It's not a bad one but not good enough for him to travel."

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Image: Arsene Wenger revealed Ozil had not travelled with the rest of the Arsenal squad

In Ozil's absence, Arsenal lined up at The Hawthorns with an attacking quartet of Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Danny Welbeck and Alexis Sanchez.

The 28-year-old Germany international joined the Gunners in a £42.5m deal from Real Madrid in 2013 but his long-term Arsenal future has been the subject of widespread recent speculation.

His current deal is set to expire at the end of next season but Ozil recently said his future is not linked to that of Wenger, whose contract is up at the end of the season.

Ozil has nine goals and nine assists in 31 appearances for Arsenal in all competitions this season.

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