New Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has insisted Mesut Ozil could still be an important player for the club despite his mixed first half of the season.
The 31-year-old was frozen out under his former manager Unai Emery and also reacted angrily when he was substituted by interim manager Freddie Ljungberg during the 3-0 defeat to Manchester City last weekend.
Ozil didn't feature in the Gunners' 0-0 draw with Everton on Saturday due to injury, but Ljungberg revealed after the match that he would not have been selected even if he was fit.
Ljungberg said: "I got asked about it and said, 'At Arsenal , that's not how we behave and not what we do'. I stand by that. Mesut was injured, but I would not have picked him for the squad because I want to make a stance that it's not what I accept from an Arsenal football player."
With Ljungberg joining Arteta's backroom staff some have suggested the German's time at the club may be done, but speaking ahead of his first game in charge against Bournemouth on Boxing Day Arteta said Ozil would be given the chance to impress.
When asked about Ljungberg's comments ahead of the game against the Toffees he said: "I don't know, that's a question you have to ask him. I just wanted him to make the decision to pick the best possible lineup to win against Everton.
"My job started straight after the game to pick the players up mentally and put them in the work frame that I want.
"With me, they have a clean sheet I told them. You're not going to be judged on what you've done in the past whether it's negative or positive. This is evolving everyday and I'm expecting you to perform and be in the right mindset every single day for me.
"If you do that, you have a chance to play, if you don't you won't."
The Gunners will be looking to finish the end of the year strongly and at the very least in the top half of the table, with Arteta's side currently lying in 11th place.
