‘Magnificent’: Martin Keown raves about Arsenal star’s performance
Martin Keown praises Mesut Ozil for his performance in Arsenal's 4-0 win over Newcastle United at the weekend
Martin Keown has singled out Mesut Ozil for special praise following his solid performance in Arsenal’s 4-0 win over Newcastle United.
Ozil played the full 90 minutes and got on the score-sheet for the Gunners as he helped Mikel Arteta’s men to claim an important win in the race for Champions League qualification.
The German midfielder has struggled to find consistent form for Arsenal for most of the season but he seems to have been given a new lease of life by Arteta since the Spanish head coach’s appointment.
Ozil’s goal added to strikes from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Nicolas Pepe and Alexandre Lacazette as Arsenal produced a solid performance in front of their home fans.
Former Arsenal defender Keown was particularly impressed by the performances of Ozil and youngster Bukayo Saka against the Magpies at the weekend.
Speaking in an interview quoted by the Evening Standard, Keown said: “Ozil, I thought his movement was really important, there was running off the ball with Aubameyang and Pepe was told that in the second half he needs to get at his opponent, which he didn’t do in the first half.
“It was great to watch. It may have flattered them a little bit, 4-0, but Saka is a player going from strength to strength.
“Ozil was magnificent and Saka just keeps getting better and better.
“Ozil had much more purpose in his play and he gets his reward, fortunate with the finish but he deserved that goal.
“He’s playing centrally, he wants to be that player who threads things together and it’s really going well for him.
“Two wins from the last eight, we all know as Arsenal fans that they have been playing better than those statistics suggest, but today did.”
Arsenal will return to Premier League action on Sunday when they host Everton at The Emirates.
Before that, Arteta will take his Arsenal side to Greece to take on Olympiakos in the first leg of their Europa League last 32 tie.
Arsenal are currently seventh in the Premier League table and seven points behind fourth-placed Chelsea FC with 12 games left to play this season.
