Wenger: Ozil risking injury, but resting him is too costly

Arsene Wenger has admitted that worn-out Mesut Ozil is risking injury through too many games, but the playmaker is too important to Arsenal to be rested.

The manager recently saw Alexis Sanchez sidelined with a hamstring injury after revealing he needed a break.

And speaking on Friday, he said that Germany international Ozil was in a similar situation as he has led Arsenal to the Premier League summit.

“At the moment, he doesn’t practice a lot. We rest him a lot between the games. I gave him one-week holiday during the international break," Wenger affirmed.

“He is a guy who, once the basic fitness is there between the games, he wants to play.

“There are types of players, sometimes the most technical players, it looks like it demands less energy for them to play – it is just natural for them.

“You look as well at the impact he can have on other players."

The Arsenal boss went on to explain that leaving players out of the starting line-up was never easy, even if they need a rest.

"The Premier League is very tight and if you go into the decisive game and if you rest players, the other players think subconsciously, they don’t tell you, but they think: ‘Why?’ Even the player himself," he said.