Another encouraging week for Arsenal ends with two victories in four days, two captains in as many games and two players seemingly locked in a battle for one position.

Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey have both worn the captain’s armband this week and both have been trusted with central attacking positions by Unai Emery, a head coach who is increasingly reluctant to play them together.

The contrast between Ozil, who was given everything he wanted to stay at the club, and Ramsey, who has been deemed surplus to requirements, is growing starker by the week. Ozil appeared liberated by the captaincy on Monday night, when he produced one of his best Arsenal performances against a Leicester City side who could not cope with his attacking vision. Ramsey, on the other hand, looked weighed down by the armband in a stodgy display against Sporting Lisbon.

The decision to withdraw Ramsey’s contract offer was not taken lightly by Arsenal. He is their longest-serving player, after all, and an occasionally irrepressible presence in midfield. Yet with each passing week it becomes harder to see where he fits into Emery’s plans. Lucas Torreira, Matteo Guendouzi and Granit Xhaka have locked down the deeper midfield positions, while Ozil is the undisputed star man further forward.