Arsenal star Mesut Ozil Photo: Puma

Paul Merson has described Mesut Ozil as comfortably better than any other player in the Arsenal and Tottenham squads.

The Germany international has been regularly criticised over the past 18 months or so following some dismal performances against Arsenal’s biggest rivals in the Champions League and the Premier League.

Ozil has entered the final year of his contract to open up the possibility of the World Cup winner leaving for nothing next summer amid talk of interest from top-six rivals Manchester United.

The 29-year-old silenced his critics with a dominant performance in Arsenal’s 2-0 win against Tottenham Hotspur in the north London derby on Saturday afternoon.

The former Real Madrid midfielder teed up Shkodran Mustafi to break the deadlock at The Emirates before Alexis Sanchez doubled the home side’s lead.

Dele Alli and Harry Kane have helped Tottenham to cast a shadow over Arsenal in the past couple of seasons following some brilliant performances from the English duo.

However, former Arsenal midfielder Merson believes Ozil is still a far superior player than the Tottenham duo and any other players in both north London squads.

“Arsenal’s best two players, Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez will probably go, and they’re world-class,” Merson told The Debate on Sky Sports.

“Ozil was head and shoulders above all of the Tottenham players.

“On his day, he’s better than all of them. If Dele Alli plays his best-ever game, and so does Ozil, you’d take Ozil all day long.”

Arsenal signed Ozil in a £42.5m deal from Real Madrid in 2013 summer transfer window.

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