ARSENAL WENGER INSISTS MESUT OZIL HAS NOT AGREED TO JOIN BARCELONA NEXT SUMMER

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has denied Mesut Ozil has already agreed to move to Barcelona when his contract expires at the Emirates.

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OZIL GETS STICK BECAUSE OF TALENT

      
     Mesut Ozil gets criticism for indifferent form because he can be one of the best in the Premier League, says Paul Merson

Paul Merson says Mesut Ozil receives criticism for his inconsistent form because he can be one of the best players in the Premier League.

The Arsenal midfielder picked up the man-of-the-match award in the impressive 2-0 win over Tottenham on Saturday, but has been criticised for below-par showings in previous big games since joining from Real Madrid in 2013.

Ozil's contract at Arsenal runs out at the end of the season, but his future, alongside that of Alexis Sanchez, is unknown, and former Arsenal player Merson believes that having seen the World Cup winner's potential, the criticism is often warranted.


"Against Spurs he was unbelievable. Different class. He's a Rolls Royce player, and that's why we all get the hump. You know that on his day he is one of the best players in the Premier League. That's why he gets so much stick.

"A player from other mid-table teams won't get stick for underperforming because they're not world class players. But Ozil can be a world class player.

"This is a World Cup winner, a player that strolls into Germany's team, who are one of the favourites to win the World Cup.
Highlights: Arsenal 2-0 Tottenham

"I'd go as far as saying he's one of the first names on the team sheet for Germany. How can he not turn up and be eight out of 10 in the Premier League every week?"

Ozil's inconsistency has mirrored Arsenal's over previous seasons, with the win over Tottenham coming after mixed bag of results throughout October and November.

Arsenal now go to Burnley on Sunday, and Merson hopes the win over Tottenham has instilled desire in players to repeat their efforts against mid-table sides.

"If Arsenal match Burnley's enthusiasm early on, I can see them winning," said Merson. "These are the type of games where Arsenal prove themselves. Man City go and wipe the floor with these teams, but you just don't know what will happen with Arsenal.


"If Arsene Wenger's side don't turn up, they won't grind out a 1-0 win. It's all about consistency with Arsenal, the magic one.

"The win over Spurs should change the attitude of some of players, you'd like to think so, but you can't find two games that are more chalk and cheese; home to Tottenham and away at Burnley.

"The fans were up for it, under pressure to perform, they rub their faces in it. Now it's Burnley, who won't leave anything on that pitch. Spurs did, big players didn't turn up."
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PLAYERS ARE NOT TO BE BLAME : JOSE MOURINHO

           
    
Jose Mourinho refused to blame his Manchester United players for their surprising 1-0 away defeat at Basel on Wednesday night.

Michael Lang's late winner ended United's 100 per cent record in the group stages, meaning United still need to get a point in their final group game against CSKA Moscow.

Anthony Martial and Marcos Rojo hit the frame of the goal for United but Lang's strike gave the Swiss side a deserved win.


Mourinho was left confused by the permutations for the group, but they only need to avoid defeat against the Russians at Old Trafford in order to progress.

A draw in Basel would have secured top spot, but United appeared to be caught in two minds about whether to stick and secure a point or twist in a bid to win.
Nemanja Matic, Ander Herrera and Chris Smalling show their disappointment after Basel's goal
Nemanja Matic, Ander Herrera and Chris Smalling show their disappointment after Basel's goal

"We played against a team that played with five defenders," Mourinho said. "We knew that.

"We tried to play with three attacking players and that worked in the first half because they couldn't handle us.

"We didn't score in the second half probably [because of] the fact that we know one point is enough.

"Probably [when] at 75 minutes, 80 minutes we didn't score, so it is not time to try to win, it is now time to try control and in the end we lost.

"So it's hard for me to be upset with the players. The first half the attitude was good, the football was good.

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The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday declared that the party would follow the normal democratic process in choosing its flagbearer in the 2019 Presidential Election.