Unai Emeryhinted there is no way back forMesut OzilatArsenalafter leaving the club’s highest earner out of his matchday squad for the fifth game in succession.
The Spaniard was rescued from the ignominy of a second defeat in four days by two spectacular late Nicolas Pepe free-kicks, as the Gunners came from behind to record a 3-2 win over Vitoria and maintain their 100% start to this season’sEuropa Leaguegroup stage campaign.
Emery’s side recorded just three shots on target during Monday’s listless defeat at Sheffield United and again struggled to create opportunities against their unheralded Portuguese opponents last night.
Arsenal were greeted with boos from their own fans at half-time when they trailed 2-1 and supporters regularly chanted the name of Ozil, who had earlier wished his colleague’s luck, posting a message on Instagram, posing for a picture with club legend Robert Pires.
Asked why Ozil had again been totally omitted, Emery said: ‘Tonight is not the day to speak about that.
‘He’s not in the squad. That is the decision tonight. Now we are going to work towards Sunday. ’
Ozil’s continued absence, meanwhile, prompted former Manchester United star Paul Scholes to suggest that Ozil could represent a cure to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s creative issues at Old Trafford.
‘Man Utd could do with someone like Ozil who can link a team together,’ Scholes told BT Sport.
‘[He is] a player who can link teams together. He has got great quality, he’s shown that in his career.
‘He could be an answer short-term, I don’t know. I think that would be up to him, ultimately. ‘I can’t [see it happening], but he’s the type of player, short-term, who United could do with.’
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