Arsene Wenger has praised Mesut Ozil’s fight after he played a key role in the Gunners’ 5-0 win over Huddersfield on Wednesday.

Ozil has been under a lot of scrutiny recently for his rather lax performances, which many say stem from his desire to leave the Emirates.

However, after a MoTM performance against Spurs last week, the German has once again proved his ability against Huddersfield, and will go into the upcoming game against Manchester United glowing with confidence.

On a night in which the Gunners blew Huddersfield away, Ozil dominated the late proceedings, ending the night with two assists and a goal of his own.

And Wenger didn’t stop short of praising the midfielder.

“Nobody has to convince us he’s a great football player,” said Wenger.

“Everybody knows in the stadium he’s a great football player, but at the moment as well he shows he can fight.

“Our job is to encourage people to fight, but I think he always covered the distances in games, but he’s at an age where he’s more mature and understands what is more important and what is less important.

“Everybody wants to be acknowledged for his quality, and the judgements are sometimes harsh in a footballer’s job. But overall I believe the majority of people here love him, and always loved him.

“When you look at the percentage of possession during a game, no matter what the game is, he always wants the ball. He never hides, he’s always available.

“If you are dominated you touch the ball less, but when you win the ball, he always wants the ball.”