Martin Keown has claimed that Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger cannot trust Mesut Ozil any longer.
The German international has been a key player for our side since joining from Real Madrid in 2013, but over the past year, a number of questions have been raised against him.
Ozil has allowed his contract to run inside its final 12 months, and looks more than likely to forge a move away at the end of said deal, and Keown claims the player is has lost his place in Wenger’s immediate plans.
Keown said; “Ozil is the one I wouldn’t trust as much mentally, and I believe he’s not playing tonight because the gaffer really can’t trust him any more.
“I think it’s a huge story that Ozil doesn’t play tonight.
“If you look at their pre-seasons, Ozil wasn’t in the German squad in the summer, he came back on the very first day of pre-season, and didn’t then start the season, there was a bit of suspicion around him.
“Last year he went missing for a couple of months and I think that’s his tactic in terms of getting away from the football club.
“I don’t know, but I have a feeling that he’s going to take his reliability away from selection.”
Wenger has claimed that Ozil is still recovering from injury which is why he is yet to start a match since becoming available once again, and the fact that he was also rested against BATE Borisov tells me he is actually in line to start against Brighton come Sunday.
Can Wenger trust Ozil in his first XI? Would the German become frustrated with a lack of action? Is he a shoo-in to start on Sunday?
Pat J