League run-ins can often be decided by small margins, a moment, a decision, a slice of good luck. This season more than ever, with so many teams in with a chance of the title, any factor that can give a side the edge during the crucial last few weeks and months of the campaign will be most welcome.

And in a returning player, Arsenal may have just that edge. Having been out for nine months with a knee injury, Danny Welbeck got a run out with Arsenal’s under-21s last week as he continues his long road to recovery and first-team action.

He may not have the overall game-changing ability of Alexis Sanchez or the defence-splitting eye for a pass of Mesut Ozil, but the 25-year Mancunian’s return to fitness may have come at the perfect time for Arsene Wenger, and could tip the balance in the Gunners' favour as they head towards ‘squeaky bum-time’.

His direct running, pace and industry on the flanks will be particularly useful for a side all too often reliant on Sanchez providing those attributes. Seemingly flogged to death by Wenger at times, the Chilean has yet to return to top-form following his own comeback from injury last month.

If Welbeck can return to a good level of fitness over the next few weeks, he will provide Wenger with an extra option in attack and a viable alternative to Sanchez should the dreaded injury bug at Arsenal strike again or a tight game need changing.

Clearly not as skilful as his South American counterpart, Welbeck nonetheless has the ability to stretch defences, his pace best utilised in getting behind the opposition back-line as he cuts in from the left, a la Thierry Henry in past seasons.

Neither Theo Walcott nor Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain offer consistent performances from a similar position, and the former Manchester United youth product can provide extra competition to his fellow countrymen - the three of them possessing similar approaches.

But Welbeck arguably has the edge here, combining the strength and work-rate of Oxlade-Chamberlain with the increased goal-threat of Walcott. Despite his recent goal against Bournemouth, ‘The Ox’ is far from being a natural goalscorer and had gone a season's worth of games without finding the net before his strike against the Cherries.

Walcott, too, who despite improving in his general forward play and having on occasion been deployed in his favoured position up-front, has still only scored three league goals this season. He never quite seems to fulfil his promise or potential when it comes to the crunch.

Now Welbeck is hardly what you would call a prolific scorer, but he has showed, in his time with both Man United and England, that he has a natural goalscoringing instinct. Given a good run in the team, and the right opportunities, Welbeck is certainly capable of achieving a goals-to-game ratio of one in three, a welcome return from a player not assigned the main striking role and one that can help back up an inconsistent Olivier Giroud.

Additionally, the youngster from Longsight, Manchester is surprisingly good in the air, a welcome addition to a generally diminutive Arsenal side. Other than Giroud and perhaps the centre-backs at set-pieces, headed goals are few and far between at the Emirates and Welbeck can definitely help out in this regard. He’s no stranger to the big occasion either, performing well in both Champions League games for Manchester Utd and Internationals for England.

So whilst Welbeck's return is far from the stellar-signing in the January transfer window that many Arsenal fans may have hoped for, there are enough positives to view it as a significant factor when it comes to the fine margins of a title run-in. Adding his pace, goals and experience to the Arsenal side at this stage of the season could prove crucial down the line.

Players returning from injury are always a welcome sight for mangers, and an extra option on the flanks/in attack for Wenger may also mean he no longer has to consider Aaron Ramsey in a wide position – his ability to control a game from a central position far more beneficial to the Gunners than being stuck out on the right.

Welbeck’s return may come a touch too late to help Arsenal in the Champions League, but then again you’d probably need a lot more help to try and defeat Barcelona!

Far more crucial for a side seeking a first league title in 12 years is his return at a time that could just tip the scales in the north Londoners' favour and see the Premier League trophy winging its way to the Emirates come May.

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