Santi Cazorla Injury: Updates on Arsenal Midfielder's Status and Return

Arsenal midfielder Santi Cazorla underwent knee surgery after picking up an injury against Norwich City on Nov. 29. After missing most of the season, he was available to return for the first time since that game in the reverse fixture on Saturday.

Continue for updates.

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Latest on Cazorla's Playing Status

Saturday, April 30

The Spanish midfielder was named on Arsenal's bench for the match with the Canaries.

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Little Magician a Significant Cog for Gunners

The 5'6" midfielder missed a significant portion of the season with a knee injury before Achilles problems delayed his return. While manager Arsene Wenger has found ways to deal with the absence of the playmaker, the Gunners clearly missed his presence.

Cazorla is one of the Premier League's best pure passers, capable of finding players and switching play to the wings in the blink of an eye.

He barely missed any game time last season and recorded seven goals and 11 assists in the Premier League, per WhoScored.com, which is a testament to just how important he can be for Arsenal.

Mesut Ozil has largely taken over the role as the team's primary creator in the 2015-16 campaign, but Cazorla's ability to keep the ball moving remains a vital part of Wenger's system. Given the Spain international's comfort in possession, others can play further up the pitch knowing he'll likely find a way to isolate them.