Mesut Ozil joined the Arsenal squad that went against Liverpool at Anfield, and he played well as expected. The Gunners, however, went down in defeat, 5-4, when the match was decided by penalty kicks. And club supporters were wondering why the German playmaker was replaced by Unai Emery.
According to the club boss, the midfielder impressed during the match, and his assessment synched with the pundits' observation that Ozil was pivotal in the game. He played a big part why Arsenal scored two goals before Emery sent in a replacement in the 65th minute.
"He played very well. He used his skills to help the team and was always positive," the Spaniard said of Ozil, who prior to the match has been left of the Gunners' many games in the ongoing season.
However, Emery has made clear that Ozil getting replaced was prearranged supposedly to keep the World Cup winner from tiring.
"The substitution was decided before the match so he didn't get tired," the Gunners manager was reported by Metro as saying.
The move, perhaps, can be explained by Ozil's absence from the pitch in previous Arsenal matches. Likely, the club will want the German to adjust first on extended playtime before fielding him again in the entire duration of future games.
It was unclear though, if Ozil will have an increased role in Arsenal's upcoming clashes.
Judging on the Instagram post from the midfielder after the losing match, Ozil seemed to look forward to getting to the next game by the Gunners. He quipped: "Thanks for the away support! Focus on Wolverhampton now."
The Daily Star said the German has all the reasons to be happy. The visit at Anfield provided an opportunity for Ozil to showcase his talent and prove to Emery what the club has been missing in the past games, added the report.
"He played some brilliant football to remind his manager what he is all about," the report said of Ozil.
In one instance of the game, the German displayed superior football when he set up Ainsley Maitland-Niles for a goal, assisting on the point via a beautiful back heel.
Clearly, Emery got more than what he bargained for in finally making use of a quality player like Ozil, who also happens to be the highest-paid in the Arsenal roster.
"It was an amazing match, I enjoyed it," the club boss said in a post-game interview. His view was seconded by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, who described the clash as a "special night."
