Emery was speaking after earning his first win as Arsenal boss
Arsenal boss Unai Emery insists there are no problems with Mesut Ozil despite the fact the German was not part of the Gunners’ squad in their 3-1 victory over West Ham on Saturday.
Ozil reportedly came into training on Friday claiming to have a cold with heavy catarrh and therefore felt he was unable to play.
Emery advised the playmaker to attend the match only if he felt better which the German did but he played no part in the match squad despite being with his team-mates beforehand.
The Gunners manager had already publicly called on Ozil to offer more defensively and even subbed the no.10 after 68 minutes of Arsenal’s defeat to Chelsea in their second match of the season.
This led to reports that Ozil was dropped for the West Ham game after an alleged row between the two happened behind close doors but Emery was quick to dismiss those rumours.
He said: “It isn’t true. I don’t know who started telling this information. He was sick yesterday. He spoke to the doctor and to me. We decided not to play today. But he left the training because he was sick.”
Asked whether he would have played if fit, Emery said: “He was sick and today he was here. He left to his house [on Friday] and I said: ‘Come if you feel better.’
“He feels better and before the match he was with me and the team. There is no problem with the player. Ask the doctor and he can explain better.”
Ozil seems to have struggled to settle into Emery’s system of high pressing so far.
The German, who announced his retirement from international football in July, is tied to Arsenal until 2021 and is currently on £350,000-a-week.
