LONDON -- Arsene Wenger believes Arsenal can challenge for silverware in 2015 if they can keep their star players free from injury, with Aaron Ramsey in line to return against Southampton on New Year's Day.
Theo Walcott, Mikel Arteta, Mesut Ozil and Ramsey are all due to return to full fitness in the next few weeks, with Wenger convinced a fully functional squad will give him a chance to compete with the top sides in the Premier League and the Champions League.
"2015 can be very exciting if we manage to get our injured players back and have a good run," said Wenger. "We have the Champions League and the FA Cup and the Premier League, where we want to come back to a much stronger position and I think we will.
"I believe when the [injured players] come back, we will have a much stronger squad than we had in the last few months.
"We have had more injuries than planned this season, but most of them are joint problems and accidental problems. They are post-World Cup traumatic injuries.
"The only muscular problems we had this consistently year was Arteta and Ramsey. Ramsey is quite is surprising. He is young, he has good stamina and we haven't found out why."
The imminent return to full fitness of Walcott offers Wenger another attacking option which could allow him to rest in-form forward Alexis Sanchez during the hectic festive period.
The Arsenal boss said England winger Walcott has been a big loss in a campaign when he has made just two brief substitute appearances in the Premier League.
"Theo has not played now basically since Jan. 3, it is a year," he said. "He has been missed. First of all he is a top quality player, he is a team player as well. When he got injured, he was in fantastic form and of course he was a big miss for us.
"I think we will see the best of him. He was born in 1989. He is 25 years old and it is the best age for a player of his quality. He is as quick as he was, believe me. I see it in training."
Wenger confirmed his captain Arteta has suffered a "small setback" in his recovery from an ankle problem and he expects the Spaniard to return in early January.
There was better news for Ramsey, with Wenger revealing the Wales international is closing in on a return to play against the Saints on New Year's Day as he recovers from a hamstring injury.
The Arsenal boss also hopes to have central-back Laurent Koscielny back for his side's trip to fourth-placed West Ham on Sunday.