Mesut Ozil has backed Unai Emery, saying the Spaniard has improved Arsenal during his first season in charge, as well as suggesting that he could have the same impact on the Gunners as Jurgen Klopp has had at Liverpool.
Speaking after a week in which Arsenal have lost three consecutive games and in all probability blown their chances of securing a top four finish, Ozil says that Emery’s influence has been positive.
“I think he is doing really good work. When you look at the team, you can see that we have developed,” he told the Evening Standard.
“For a new coach, in a new country and at a new club where it’s perhaps a different culture than you are used to, you have to let those things develop. But he is definitely in a good way.
“He brings us forward and I hope he will continue to get better in the coming years. It’s like with Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool – over time he has been able to make them successful gradually, and hopefully Unai Emery can do the same.”
The aim of what remains this season is to get Champions League football again, something Ozil was keen to stress the importance of.
“We need to be playing Champions League football,” he said.
“The Europa League is another competition and it’s nice to play in but we want to test ourselves against the best and to do that we need to be playing in the Champions League.”