Arsene Wenger has backed Mesut Ozil to respond to criticism by putting in top performances on the pitch in upcoming matches.
Some pundits and fans were critical of the German international for his perceived lack of effort in the second half during the 2-1 defeat to Manchester City last weekend, but Wenger said at his pre-match press conference that he expected the playmaker to perform against West Brom and silence his critics on Monday:
‘We have to respond. Mesut Ozil is an important player, a big player, and the big players always respond to criticism on the pitch.’
Despite the critical comments, Ozil’s statistics have still been pretty impressive this season. He has scored nine goals in 22 matches and created six other goals. His task will be however to prove his doubters wrong in big matches, and win over those, who unlike Wenger, don’t believe he puts in the hard yards.
With the Gunners now nine points behind league leaders Chelsea, heading into three matches in eight days over the festive season, maximum points is vital against the Baggies at the Emirates.
