MARTIN KEOWN has incredibly accused Arsenal star Mesut Ozil of faking an injury to save himself from being benched against Everton.
The German playmaker, 30, was hauled off in the last match – the 3-0 drubbing at the hands of Manchester City.
And Ozil irked Arsenal fans – and even interim boss Freddie Ljungberg – by booting his gloves off the pitch when his number was called.
Ahead of Saturday’s clash with Everton, the Swede chief revealed Ozil was suffering from a foot injury and would not be part of the matchday squad… and that he wouldn’t have picked him anyway.
But Keown revealed he believes the former Real Madrid star was faking it.
When asked about Ozil’s alleged knock, Keown said: “I’m not convinced to be honest.
“What I will say is Freddie Ljungberg has managed with a great deal of dignity and calm in very difficult circumstances.
“Ozil is one of those issues, one of those problems. Arteta has got to manage that.
“He went off the pitch against City, he wasnt best pleased, he didnt look particularly injured on that occasion.
“He’s probably just taken himself out of it because he thinks that Freddie wouldnt play him.”
Ahead of his final game in charge before Arteta takes over the reins, Ljungberg admitted he wouldn’t have picked Ozil to play in his youthful XI.
The Swede said: “Mesut has something on his foot but we have things happening there so Mesut wouldnt have been in the squad anyway what happened in last game.”
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