Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger considered dropping Mesut Ozil before the midfielder was ruled out of the side’s 3-1 defeat at Liverpool on Saturday.
Ozil played no part in the all-important Premier League encounter at Anfield and Wenger confirmed that the playmaker had picked up an illness ahead of the game.
The Arsenal manager faced widespread criticism for dropping Alexis Sanchez and, remarkably, Ozil could have joined his team-mate on the bench even if he was passed fit to play, according to The Telegraph.
Reports suggest Wenger was deeply unhappy with Sanchez’s behaviour after the side’s 5-1 thumping at Bayern Munich but it’s understood poor form could have seen Ozil dropped.
The German has already had his best season in front of goal for Arsenal, scoring nine goals so far this term, but the level of his performances in 2017 has dropped significantly.
Ozil, like Sanchez, is yet to agree to a new deal in north London as his contract negotiations drag on ahead of the summer transfer window.
The 28-year-old admitted in January that he wants reassurances over Wenger’s future before he signs on the dotted line again at the Emirates.
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