Arsenal vs Leicester: Fans and pundits react to a sensational goals and Mesut Ozil’s masterclass

Arsenal fought back to beat Leicester 3-1 at the Emirates on Monday night, with the Hector Bellerin making up for his own goal by providing two assists in a joyous team performance brimming with open, flowing football.

Mesut Ozil, an often disparaged figure, was in sensational form, scoring one and setting up the final goal, a wonderful passing move which started from the goalkeeper and was tapped in by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Read more: Unai Emery agrees with Mesut Ozil that Arsenal played ‘sexy football’ against Leicester

The performance showed determination and received plaudits for the excellent attacking movement. Ozil tweeted after the match: “I think we played some sexy football tonight. Proud captain of this team and this club!”

I think we played some sexy football tonight Proud captain of this team and this club! © #YaGunnersYa #M1Ö @Arsenal pic.twitter.com/iPFGxViAes

— Mesut Özil (@MesutOzil1088) October 22, 2018

The win takes Arsenal to 10 victories in a row, with seven in a row in the league. The reaction to the match has suggested excitement has returned to north London.

Reaction

“Arsenal may not win the Premier League this season,” wrote Daniel Storey for i. “They may not even qualify for next season’s Champions League. But they are back. That is proved not by 10 consecutive victories, but by the feeling of cheer among those supporters who filed out from the Emirates on Monday night. Fewer empty seats, more hope.”

Will Magee wrote: “Along with Hector Bellerin, Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette, Ozil was one of the stars of the show as the Gunners came back from 1-0 down to clinch their 10th win on the bounce in all competitions.

“Ozil nabbed Arsenal’s equaliser with a sidefooted effort past Kasper Schmeichel on the stroke of half time, this before he was heavily involved in their second goal and assisted Aubameyang directly for Arsenal’s third of the evening. That last goal in particular has won widespread acclaim, with Ozil helping to execute the perfect lock-pick passing move ahead of Aubameyang’s neat finish.”

On social media ex-players, pundits and fans alike marvelled at the football on show, particularly from the much-criticised playmaker Ozil.

Remember when Emery was getting slaughtered for having Arsenal play out from the back?

— Tony Barrett (@TonyBarrett) October 22, 2018

Fabulous third from #afc, slick, quick move, Ozil assist, Aubameyang close-range finish. Emery’s subs paying off.

— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) October 22, 2018

Mesut Özil is a wizard. Pass it on.

— Chris Dixon (@chrismd10) October 22, 2018

100% football @arsenal #coyg #football pic.twitter.com/8LQZuQdQWn

— Kanu Nwankwo (@papilokanu) October 23, 2018

• 10 in a row.

• Xhaka played very well at L/WB.

• Fluid team Football.

• Aubameyang & Özil on fire.

— Dean (@ArsenalNexus) October 22, 2018

Mesut Ozil is less a footballer, more an artist who sees time, space and the world differently to all those around him. Uses the football field as his canvas and the ball as his brush. Salvador Dali in football boots

— roger bennett (@rogbennett) October 22, 2018

We've scored some really nice goals of late, but in a sense, that's nothing new. Giroud's goal v Belgrade, Lacazette's when we beat Palace 4-1 at home- even last season we were capable of those flashes of slick football.

— Tim Stillman (@Stillberto) October 23, 2018

Giroud on for Holding looked like a mad substitution to cap a mad mad game but it proved to be a masterstroke! #Arsenal 4-3 #Leicester FT

— Keyvan Hedvat (@Hedverse) August 11, 2017

Leicester 1-0 up at Arsenal & it should be more! @SkySportsMNF

— Jamie Carragher (@Carra23) October 22, 2018

Why wasnt ozil made captain years ago

— Matt Le Tissier (@mattletiss7) October 22, 2018

On Monday Night Football, Graeme Sounness said: “Arsenal were fabulous with their slick passing. The front players at times were sensational. The movement is quicker under this manager. That one-touch, two-touch in the attacking third is opening doors for them. I think we’ve got a different Arsenal now.”

Manager Unai Emery told Sky Sports after the match: “We are happy because we are progressing. We need to play with organisation but also with heart. We are beginning to play with heart. This feeling together is very good.”

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He told the press after the match: “We want to enjoy it, but we are working. If you want to win you need to work, and you need to be together. With our quality we can enjoy it, [but] we need to enjoy the work.”