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Arteta: I failed with Ozil

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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says he feels he has “failed” with midfielder Mesut Ozil after leaving him out of his 25-man Premier League squad.

The German, who had also been omitted from the Europa League squad, can now only play for Arsenal Under-23s until his deal expires in summer 2021.

The 32-year-old, who joined Arsenal for a then club record £42.4m in 2013, has not played for the club since 7 March.

“My conscience is very calm because I have been really fair,” said Arteta.

“What I can say from my side is that it is just a football decision. My level of communication with him has been really high and we know what to expect with each other.

“Obviously a player of that dimension, with the career he has had, everything that happens around him has a big impact. It has been the case for the last eight years; it is nothing new that is just happening now. A lot of things have happened over these eight years.

“My job is to get the best out of every player, to contribute to the team performance.

“Here I feel at the moment, today, that I have failed. I want the best possible for Mesut and for the team. And in some moments, I was able to get close to that, and at the moment, I have not been able to do it because I have to make the decision to leave him out of the squad.”

‘Loyalty is hard to come by nowadays’ – Ozil

Earlier, in a message to Arsenal fans, Ozil said, “Loyalty is hard to come by nowadays.”

“I’m really deeply disappointed by the fact that I have not been registered for the Premier League season for the time being,” Ozil wrote on social media.

He also said, “Upon signing my new contract in 2018, I pledged my loyalty and allegiance to the club that I love, Arsenal, and it saddens me that this has not been reciprocated.

“I’ve always tried to remain positive from week to week that there’s maybe a chance to get back in the squad soon again. That’s why I kept silent so far.”

Since joining from Real Madrid seven years ago, Ozil has scored 44 goals in 254 appearances in all competitions for the Gunners.

He fell out of favour under previous manager Unai Emery before returning to the side under interim boss Freddie Ljungberg.

After Arteta’s appointment in December 2019, Ozil started all 10 of Arsenal’s Premier League games immediately before the coronavirus pandemic forced a three-month suspension of the top-flight in March.

Earlier in October, he offered to pay the salary of Jerry Quy, the man who plays the role of club mascot Gunnersaurus, who was one of 55 redundancies at the club.

“Before the coronavirus break I was really happy with my development under our new coach Mikel Arteta – we’ve been on a positive way and I would say my performances were on a really good level,” Ozil added.

“But then things changed, again, and I was no longer allowed to play football for Arsenal. No matter what, I will keep fighting for my chance and not let my eighth season at Arsenal end like this.

“I can promise you that this hard decision won’t change anything in my mindset – I will continue to train as best as I can and wherever possible use my voice against inhumanity and for justice.”

Former Arsenal and England striker Ian Wright said he was “gutted” for Ozil.

“Football will never stop surprising me,” he said on Twitter.

“The fact that whatever has gone on couldn’t be resolved between the club and Mesut is sad. Sad for everyone involved and I can only send him strength for what will be a difficult few months knowing he won’t even have a chance to play.”

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Chelsea move to third after playing 1-1 draw with Arsenal

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Chelsea move to third after playing 1-1 draw with Arsenal

Chelsea and Arsenal shared the spoils in a tense 1-1 battle at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

The draw keeps the London sides level in the Premier League, but still nine points adrift of leaders Liverpool.

In a finely balanced game, the sides enjoyed almost equal possession and both had three shots on target.

It was Arsenal who looked the more disappointed at the whistle, Mikel Arteta holding his head in disbelief after substitute Leandro Trossard failed to put away two late chances.

Gabriel Martinelli had put the visitors in front in the 60th minute, turning in a neatly lifted ball from captain Martin Odegaard, whose influence on his return from injury proved crucial after the Gunners’ failure to score in their last two games.

Chelsea equalised 10 minutes later when substitute Enzo Fernandez pushed the ball to the ever-lively Pedro Neto just outside the Arsenal area and the Portuguese stepped to one side and shot low to David Raya’s left.

“We came to win, so we’re not as happy as we wanted to be, but we didn’t want to lose and it’s a good point against a good team,” Neto told Sky Sports.

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Chelsea’s Cole Palmer had almost made the perfect start but his third-minute rocket was tipped over by the ever-vigilant Raya.

Arsenal thought they had gone ahead in the 32nd when former Chelsea striker Kai Havertz latched on to a speedily taken free kick and sent the ball across Robert Sanchez into the bottom corner.

But VAR showed the German was fractionally offside.

Sanchez had been called into action five minutes earlier, getting his hand to a shot from Martinelli.

Chelsea fluffed a couple of second-half chances with Levi Colwill shooting just over and Noni Madueke firing high and wide.

But as the minutes ticked down it was Arsenal who pushed forward. Sanchez kept out substitute Mikel Marino, before Trossard fired over from close range

In time added on, William Saliba sent the ball across the six-yard box but Trossard could not connect with it despite an open goal.

The result lifted Chelsea to third and Arsenal, who have gone four Premier League games without a win, to fourth in the table, both on 19 points.

 

Chelsea move to third after playing 1-1 draw with Arsenal

(Reuters/NAN)

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EPL: Liverpool win, Man City lose again, Iwobi helps Fulham in 2-0 victory

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EPL: Liverpool win, Man City lose again, Iwobi helps Fulham in 2-0 victory

Liverpool secured a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa in a Premier League encounter at Anfield on Saturday.

Darwin Nunez opened the scoring in the first half, before Mohammed Salah made sure of a big three points with six minutes left in the second half.

Liverpool took full advantage of Manchester City’s slip-up to move five points clear at the top of the league table.

It was yet another defeat for champions Manchester City as they squandered a one-goal lead to lose 2-1 to Brighton.

Erling Haaland had opened scoring on 23 minutes before João Pedro and Matt O’Riley both scored late into the second half to compound City’s problem.

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Elsewhere, Super Eagles forward Alex Iwobi provided an assist to help Fulham seal a 2-0 win against their hosts Crystal Palace.

In the other Premier League games played concurrently, Wolverhampton Wanderers defeated Southampton 2-0 for their firsg win this season, while West Ham and Everton played a goalless draw.

Earlier on Saturday, Brentford and Bournemouth played a five-goal thriller, with hosts Brentford carrying the day with a 3-2 victory.

 

EPL: Liverpool win, Man City lose again, Iwobi helps Fulham in 2-0 victory

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Lookman, Zaniolo fire Atalanta to 2-0 win over Stuttgart

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Ademola Lookman

Lookman, Zaniolo fire Atalanta to 2-0 win over Stuttgart

Second-half goals from Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman and Nicolo Zaniolo earned Atalanta a 2-0 win at VfB Stuttgart in the Champions League on Wednesday.

The result means the Italian side are still yet to concede a goal in this season’s competition.

The opener came in the 51st minute when Ademola Lookman tapped in a cross from Charles De Ketelaere and, with the home side struggling to find a way through, Zaniolo struck the decisive second two minutes from time.

The defeat ended Stuttgart’s impressive home record of not losing a game in any competition for more than a year, while Atalanta continued their excellent form, unbeaten in their last eight matches.

Atalanta moved up to ninth in the standings on eight points, with Stuttgart dropping out of the playoff zone as they slipped to 27th with four points.

“We came here with ambition but from there to winning is a long way off,” Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini told Sky Sport.

“These are difficult pitches, Stuttgart had won in Turin against Juventus. It is the way this victory came that gives us confidence. We won with personality.”

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The visitors had the bulk of the possession in the opening half but it was Stuttgart who looked the more likely to score, with Anthony Rouault heading over from inside the six-yard box.

Stuttgart’s best chance of the half came right at the end when Chris Fuhrich’s pass set Deniz Undav up for a shot from close range but he hit the side netting.

Atalanta sent De Ketelaere on at the start of the second half and it was his silky skills which led to the breakthrough as he went past two defenders and his ball across the goal gave Lookman the easiest of tap-ins.

Stuttgart, who had beaten Juventus 1-0 in their last Champions League game, could not find a way past the Atalanta defence, and the visitors wrapped up the win near the end.

Substitute Zaniolo pounced on sloppy Stuttgart defending and in a one-on-one with the keeper he coolly slipped the ball past Alexander Nubel.

Atalanta and Inter Milan are the only two sides in the competition who have not conceded a goal after four games, and Gasperini’s side have put themselves in an excellent position at the halfway stage of the league phase.

“In all the games we have played we have shown solidity and we haven’t suffered much,” Gasperini said.

“We were able to have a good defensive phase and we built the points on that.”

Lookman, Zaniolo fire Atalanta to 2-0 win over Stuttgart

(Reuters/NAN)

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