Sky Sports' headline making pundit Paul Merson has once again offered his footballing opinions, this time in regards to why Alexis Sanchez is some way off replicating his old Arsenal form with his current club Manchester United, and it is all to do with the German maverick Mesut Ozil.
Speaking with TalkSPORT, the Arsenal legend explained that the much maligned World Cup winning playmaker may have his critics, but in an odd way he made Sanchez look like a superstar in that particular Arsenal side.
“He [Ozil] isn’t going to run around like Sanchez did for Arsenal when he gives the ball away and chases 50 yards back,” Merson argued.
“In a way he made Sanchez a better player. The fans loved Sanchez because he would lose the ball but run 30 yards back and tackle. The fans were saying why doesn’t Ozil do that?
“But Ozil doesn’t do that because he doesn’t give the ball away as many times.”
The heavily criticised Sky Sports pundit may have weight in his assessment of the Red Devils' Alexis, as whenever the two were paired together on a losing side at the Emirates, the 29-year old Ozil would forever be blamed for his work ethic, rather than Sanchez for his questionable quality on the ball.
On the other side now for Sanchez, it is more evident with Manchester United when the Chilean gives the ball away in a poor position or if he is unwilling to race back and cover for his or another teammate's error.
Merson's comments may spark a change in attitude towards both Sanchez and Ozil, who throughout their tenure at Arsenal were always compared to one another. Although, Paul Merson ended by commenting on what sort of player he believes Mesut Ozil is regardless of footballing philosophy.
“Some people love him, some people don’t like him. I think he’s top player."