Gunners legend Ian Wright has urged Mesut Ozil to not worry about all the criticism he has been receiving ahead of the Premier League fixture with Chelsea.

The German star only signed a new contract at the Emirates last February in what turned out to be the last act of Arsene Wenger before he left the club, and many believe his performances since then or Arsenal have not been deserving of his new contract.

Add that to the fact he had a miserable World Cup in Germany in which he was made a scapegoat for their early exit, it has not been a good few months for the former Real Madrid star.

But after quitting International duty, he can now put his full focus on Arsenal, where he is committed for the next three seasons, and Wright says it is up to Ozil to prove his doubters wrong and show that he does deserve the £300,000-a-week contract at the Emirates.

“Mesut Ozil has started the season, he’s come off the World Cup, a disappointing World Cup for Germany,” Wright told ESPN.

“He’s somebody that is always getting a lot of criticism.

“It’s up to Mesut Ozil to rise above that and try to perform in the way that people know he’s capable of performing.

“It’s going to be difficult, because he is a marked man.

“People know what he’s capable of if you give him time and space.

“So they’re not going to give him that, they’re going to deny him that.

“So it’s up to him to try and find that space and try to make an impression on the game.”

Here is what we think.

Ozil was not to blame for Germany getting knocked out early at the World Cup as the whole team were dreadful, they looked nothing like the dominant national side that won the World Cup just four years earlier.

However, his performances for the Gunners over the last few months, and his outing against Manchester City last weekend, is something he needs to sort out as he simply cannot get away with playing poorly and then starting the next week like he did under Wenger.

If Unai Emery feels he is not pulling his weight, then he will be dropped from the side and replaced with someone that is willing to put in 110 per cent on a weekly basis.

Ozil did a real number on Arsenal last February by getting so much money in his new contract, but if he doesn’t earn it then he will be sold by Emery, simple as that.