Mesut Ozil came on as a substitute against Southampton on Sunday - but the German was not part of our matchday squad when we hosted Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night.
After the match, Unai Emery explained Ozil’s absence. Here’s what he said:
on Mesut Ozil absence…
It’s a tactical decision because I thought that the players that were with us today were the best choices for this match.
on if Ozil was at the Emirates for the game…
Yes.
on how he reacted to not playing…
We are thinking of every player. We have 24 or 25 players and when they are playing one game and not in another, it’s the decision. Today it was tactical.
on whether he would let Ozil go in January…
My focus now is analysing this match and also Saturday against Burnley is very important. We are going to assess every player, how they are tomorrow in training and for a difficult match against Burnley on Saturday.
on whether Ozil has a future at Arsenal…
I am thinking about the match on Saturday, and not thinking about another situation.
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