Arsenal finally got back to the winning ways when they defeated Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium on New Year’s Day. The victory, courtesy of goals from Nicolas Pepe and Sokratis Papastathopoulos was the first for their new manager Mikel Arteta.
However more than the victory, it was Mesut Ozil’s gigantic presence in the Arsenal midfield which has come out as the biggest positive from the match. Ozil was front and centre for Arsenal and even tracked back to his own box to defend when required.
Manchester United legend and pundit Rio Ferdinand noted that the German midfielder was getting back to his own and was visibly happy with his performance. The former footballer also said that Arteta’s influence into the team is finally getting displayed.
“It’s freshened the place up, it went maybe stale under the previous manager, they may be lacked belief in the manager’s tactics and his methods,” Ferdinand was quoted as saying to BT Sports.
“The pictures we saw there when the whistle went with Arteta going on to the pitch – I’ve not seen Ozil smile like that for about 18 months. That tells you a story, he’s enjoying going to training, he’s enjoying playing,” he added.
Ozil, who found little playing time under former coach Unai Emery, seems to have become the main man for new Arteta as the latter had said that he will try to structure a new Arsenal team around the midfielder.
Against United on Wednesday, the Gunners got the lead only eight minutes courtesy of club-record signing Pepe. In 42nd minute, it was Pepe’s corner which led to the Gunners’ second goal. Alexandre Lacazette’s near-post flick-on from the set-piece was parried by David De Gea but the ball bounced off the back of Victor Lindelof, allowing Sokratis to smash the ball into the roof of the net from five yards out.