Arsenal 3 Leicester City 1
Mesut Ozil produced a man-of-the-match performance against Leicester to inspire Arsenal to their tenth consecutive victory in all competitions.
The German, given the captain’s armband for the evening, rose to the responsibility by scoring the Gunners’ first and adding assists for two second-half goals from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
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“Mesut was very good but I believe in every player and different positions for the players,” said Arsenal manager Unai Emery. “We need the number ten position sometimes with Mesut Ozil and sometimes with Aaron Ramsey. We can’t play with both sometimes.”
Ten out of ten
Arsenal are now on their best winning streak since 2007 and last night’s victory against Leicester lifts them into fourth spot in the Premier League table, level on points with Chelsea but behind the Blues on goal difference.
Yet for the first half an hour of the clash at the Emirates Stadium it was all Leicester as the Foxes dominated their hosts.
An athletic save from Bernd Leno denied the visitors an early goal but the German keeper was wrong-footed on 31 minutes when Ben Chilwell’s low cross from the left took a wicked deflection off the boot of Hector Bellerin.
Ozil on song
That goal galvanised the Gunners and Ozil levelled just before the break with a breathtaking finish, coolly stroking the ball into the net from Bellerin’s pass. It was his 30th goal for Arsenal, making Ozil the highest scoring German player in Premier League history.
If that goal was stunning the two that followed were simply sensational, both involving intricate interchanges of passes from inside Arsenal’s own half.
Ozil was instrumental in both with Aubameyang required just to add the finishing touch. Arsenal should have had a fourth in similar style but Alexandre Lacazette miscued his shot into the grateful arms of Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel.
One match at a time
After the match Emery was asked if Arsenal were credible title contenders, given they are now just two points behind Premier League leaders Manchester City.
“We’re only thinking of each match,” he replied. “To continue winning is difficult and today is very important because Leicester are near us in the table.”
What the media are saying about Ozil
The Guardian: “For the first time in his Arsenal career, Ozil had worn the captain’s armband from the outset. How it inspired him… [he] had one of those games in which everything comes off for him and he was a joy to watch.”
Daily Mirror: “Mesut Ozil was Arsenal’s captain fantastic… it was his overall display, full of darting runs, clever passes and sprints to close down opponents; never the most vocal of players, he was also noticeably more demanding of those around him.”
Daily Mail: “Whether Ozil’s intervention was inspired by the captain’s armband or his ingrained talents we may never know. But it is clear he relished the responsibility.”
Evening Standard: “This was why Arsenal decided to pay him £350,000-a-week – and it feels like a benchmark for him to aim for this season.”
BBC Radio 5 Live pundit Chris Sutton: “Simply stunning… Mesut Ozil has eyes in the back of his head. He was the instigator, the artist, the creator.”
