Mesut wouldn´t have started anyway – Ljungberg´s parting shot at injured Arsenal star Ozil

Freddie Ljungberg said Mesut Ozil would not have been involved for Arsenal in Saturday’s Premier League contest against Everton even if injury had not ruled him out.

Interim boss Ljungberg named a youthful line-up for his final game in charge before handing the reins to new boss Mikel Arteta, who was appointed the Gunners’ new head coach on Friday.

Ozil, who reacted petulantly to be subbed off in last week’s defeat against Manchester City, was conspicuous by his absence and, while he confirmed a foot problem for the ex-Germany international, Ljungberg cast more doubt on the midfielder’s long-term future in north London by admitting he would not have been part of his plans at Goodison Park.

Ljungberg told BT Sport: “Mesut has something on his foot, but we have things happening there so Mesut wouldn’t have been in the squad today anyway, [after] what happened in the last game.”

Nicolas Pepe, Sead Kolasinac, Matteo Guendouzi and the suspended Sokratis Papastathopoulos are also out of the starting XI that lost 3-0 to the champions last weekend, with Arsenal naming a new-look side that will be out to impress Arteta.

Emile Smith Rowe was awarded a first Premier League start as Ljungberg turns to youth, with Bukayo Saka and Reiss Nelson included in attack.

Thank you all for the warm welcome, I feel very honoured and happy to be back.
Now let’s get to work @arsenal pic.twitter.com/ybmGulCw5L

— Mikel Arteta (@m8arteta) December 21, 2019

Arteta will be watching from the stands at another of his former clubs, who named Carlo Ancelotti as manager ahead of kick-off.

The Italian has agreed a four-and-a-half-year deal to succeed Marco Silva and, like Arteta, will begin work after Saturday’s fixture.

The Toffees have welcomed back Lucas Digne, Djibril Sidibe, Fabian Delph and Gylfi Sigurdsson as Duncan Ferguson concludes his spell as caretaker manager.