• Manager says it is up to player to get career back on track • Arsenal take on Bate Borisov in Europa League on Thursday

Unai Emery has said it is up to Mesut Özil to get his Arsenal career back on track after revealing he has spoken to the midfielder about his regular absences from the first-team squad.

Özil has featured in only 18 games in all competitions this season and made one start since Boxing Day. He has missed nine games through illness in just over a year and is unlikely to feature when his teammates try to overturn a one-goal deficit in the second leg of their Europa League tie against Bate Borisov at the Emirates.

Arsène Wenger suggests Mesut Özil’s new deal put him in ‘comfort zone’ Read more

Arsène Wenger has suggested last year’s decision by Arsenal to offer Özil a long-term contract worth £350,000 a week may have left the German in “a comfort zone”.

“First, the key in his hands,” said Emery, who has blamed Özil’s absences on a mixture of minor injuries, poor performances and frequent bouts of unspecified illness. “He’s working very well this week and I asked him in our conversation to be consistent, to be available for training. I said that when you can train with us consistently you can help us with your best performance in the games.

“I think this week was good for all the players because we are in a big, important moment for the season. I am looking at him doing the training like we want. I know he wants that but he needs consistency, to be available for training and the matches without injuries, without being sick. Like that, I think we can see the best Mesut.”

After Bate’s surprise 1-0 win last week, their coach, Aleksei Baga, assured reporters he was “100% sure” his side “will achieve the big result next week”. Arsenal fans, though confident, will be more cautious in their optimism. Their team should have enough to overcome a side preparing for only their second competitive fixture since mid-December.

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“We need to find a good balance between attacking and defending,” said Laurent Koscielny. “They will play with a big block and counterattack, so we need to focus on our transitions. We can’t give them free-kicks or corners. I don’t know if we can score early in the game or wait until later, but we need to be more efficient in the boxes.”

On paper at least, there is a wide gulf in class between Emery’s squad and their Belarusian opponents, but Arsenal had Petr Cech to thank for keeping the scoreline down at the Borisov Arena during last week’s horror show. The deficit is far from insurmountable but failure to progress to the last 16 would be an embarrassment and leave Arsenal supporters frustrated.

Play Video 1:19 Arsene Wenger: Mesut Özil is in a 'comfort zone' at Arsenal since signing new contract – video

Quite how many will be present remains to be seen, as the 5.55pm kick-off on what, for many, is a work day could prevent thousands of season-ticket holders from attending.

“I don’t know about that,” said Emery. “We want and we need supporters. The supporters want to watch our team put in the best performance possible. Even if there are a lot less supporters tomorrow in the stadium, I want them to be with us for 90 minutes, then the players can give the best performance possible.”

Emery acknowledged that last week’s display was not anywhere near the best possible but stressed that the Europa League is increasingly difficult to win.

“Every team wants to win this competition,” he said. “Small teams have chances to cause a surprise. Bate have a lot of experienced players with Belarus and they have shown us they can be competitive. We need to win.”

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First leg Bate 1 Arsenal 0

Possible second-leg teams

Arsenal (4-3-3): Cech; Maitland-Niles, Mustafi, Koscielny, Kolasinac; Guendouzi, Xhaka, Súarez; Mkhitaryan, Aubameyang, Iwobi.

Bate Borisov (4-3-3): Scherbitskiy; Ryas, Volkov, Filipenko, Filipovic; Baha, Drahun, Hleb; Stasevich, Skavysh, Milic.