Arsene Wenger Rips Mesut Ozil over Star's Comments on Arsenal's EPL Title Hopes

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will talk to star midfielder Mesut Ozil in the wake of his comments on the ongoing Premier League title race, saying the German's claims that the Gunners have "screwed up" are "not welcome," per Simon Collings of the Daily Telegraph.

Per Sky Sports' Andrew Dickson, Ozil told reporters the Gunners shouldn't be in their current position, trailing in the title race, and admitted the chance to win the club's first Premier League trophy in over a decade no longer rests in their own hands.

Per Collings, Wenger thinks that's not the right mindset:

"

We will talk about that. The statement is not welcome. Because we have to believe, no matter if it just one chance in 100, we have to believe. We only have a real chance if we believe.

I think the worst thing in life is to have wrong beliefs. So you have to make sure that you give absolutely your best, and at the end accept that if somebody is better than you, that you have given your best.

"

The Gunners chase league leaders Leicester City by 11 points, with a match in hand and eight matches left on the schedule. Per ESPN FC's Miguel Delaney, the Gunners face an easier slate of matches than main title rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester, but 11 points represent a big gap to overcome:

Of the three favourites, Arsenal have the most experience in high-pressure situations. Fans and pundits have been anticipating a slide for the Foxes and Spurs all season long, but so far, it hasn't happened. Leicester have won four of their last five Premier League outings, while Tottenham have won four of six.

Arsenal led the standings at one point of the season before a number of injuries and inconsistent play resulted in a dreadful run of results, and the Gunners have been trying to recover ever since. With no more UEFA Champions League football on the schedule, the squad is focused on the Premier League title race, but it might be too late.

The battle for the title is far from over, and Arsenal still have a chance to finally win England's top competition for the first time since the Invincibles. But they'll have to rely on Leicester and Tottenham to drop points, and given the fact that they led the standings just a few months ago, it's hard to disagree with Ozil.

If the Gunners had taken care of business, they wouldn't be in this position right now.

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