Unai Emery insists Mesut Ozil still has a future under him at Arsenal.
Ozil was an unused substitute for Saturday's 2-0 victory over Chelsea in the Premier League, having missed out on the matchday 18 at West Ham seven days earlier.
A high-intensity midfield performance led by Aaron Ramsey proved the undoing of Chelsea and Emery's demands of his players off the ball have led to suggestions Ozil is ill-suited to his approach.
But the former Sevilla boss believes the ex-Germany playmaker, who is Arsenal's highest-paid star, can still thrive at Emirates Stadium.
"He was on Saturday okay to play, but we decided not play [him]," Emery told reporters.
"I spoke with him also and I wanted to him to be ready for the match [against Chelsea], for the next matches like all the players in the team.
"Against Chelsea, I [would] have the confidence in him if he played, I think he could do like we want and the next matches we are going to need every player and also his quality."
All eyes will be on Emery's team sheet for another high-profile clash at Manchester United in the fourth round of the FA Cup this Friday.
