Ozil is back after Champions League exit, says Wenger
REUTERS - Arsenal's Mesut Ozil has overcome the shock of the club's Champions League exit and his focus is back on the Premier League, manager Arsene Wenger said after the German ended his rough spell in Wednesday's 3-0 win over West Ham United.
Ozil drew flak for anonymous displays in recent months but produced a virtuoso performance against West Ham as he scored one and created another to give Arsenal only their second win in seven Premier League games.
"I feel that he's back physically, with focus. I know him quite well," Wenger told British media.
"I felt he had been hit hard by us going out in the Champions League and it took him some time to recover from that mentally. I feel for a few weeks now in training he's really focused again, and that comes out in the game."
The 28-year-old Ozil, who has suffered with illness and injury in recent weeks, is stalling on extending his current contract, which runs out in 2018, according to British media reports.
Arsenal, who are fifth in the table, will look to secure back-to-back league wins for the first time since January when they travel to face relegation-threatened Crystal Palace on Monday.
(Reporting by Shravanth Vijayakumar in Bengaluru)