Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil let Arsenal down this season says former defender Martin Keown

Ozil sat out five consecutive starting line-ups following Arsenal's first 5-1 defeat to Bayern Munich while Sanchez was dropped during the same period after storming out of a training session

Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez have come in for criticism this term (Getty)

Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil let Arsenal down this season says former defender Martin Keown.

The pair combined for 41 goals as the Gunners narrowly missed out on Champions League qualification for the first time in 21 years and are both yet to sign contract extensions despite being offered lucrative fresh terms.

The uncertainty over their futures bled on to the pitch with Ozil sat out five consecutive starting line-ups following Arsenal's first 5-1 defeat to Bayern Munich while Sanchez was dropped during the same period, after storming out of a training session.

"It became about Ozil and Sanchez for too long in the season. I think their behaviour let Arsenal down in that period," said Keown, speaking for BT Sport ahead of the Emirates FA Cup Final. "Ozil wasn't available for large periods. Was he injured, wasn't he? Was it sickness, was it injury? He didn't seem to be around when they needed him most.

"Sanchez then had an incident at the club. It felt like he threw his toys out of the cot for a little while. We don't really know exactly what happened. All of that was I think because these guys were maybe over-indulged a little bit. That's Arsene Wenger's style of management.

"They're the best players, they're the type of players he loves most of all. They maybe let Arsene Wenger down."

Wenger is yet to confirm whether he will still be at Arsenal next season and Keown believes doubt surrounding the manager's future also "upset the group".

But he remains adamant that if Wenger decides to let Sanchez or Ozil leave this summer, the club should back the Frenchman's judgement.


 Ozil and Sanchez's futures remain firmly up in the air 
 (Getty)

"No one player is bigger than the club. For the benefit of the group, tough decisions have to be made," Keown said. "You can't say that by taking these two out Arsenal are going to get better but if they don't want to be there then the club has to look forward and has to build."

Sanchez is renowned for his tenacity but Keown says that energy has to be channelled for the good of the team.

"I think he's a difficult man to manage," Keown said. "I did turn up at the training ground once - I've only been there I think twice in the last three years - and it was one of his days off but he suddenly turned up and he was bouncing around the training pitch.

"They were having to facilitate him and put a training session on for him. That can be a good thing but he's a very demanding individual. It's not necessarily about you as a player, you have to fit in as well with the group."

Ozil's body language during matches has also suggested a high level of frustration towards his team-mates.

"That's what really has got to be considered. How is that affecting other players?" Keown said.


 Ozil's body language has come in for criticism (Getty)

"I do feel like if I was playing in some of the games when Ozil doesn't get a perfect pass, I think I already would have been in his ear telling him my bit: 'I'm trying to give the ball to you, don't disrespect me in the way you do when I don't get the ball to you'.

"'And by the way how about you working just as hard out of possession as I'm working out of possession?' I'm surprised he's got away with some of that with the players."

Arsenal can earn a certain degree of redemption by beating Chelsea in the FA Cup final on Saturday, in what could be Wenger's final game in charge.

His future is set to be decided at a board meeting next week and Keown believes the 67-year-old is not done yet.

"Perhaps the biggest gift he can give Arsenal is to help them find his replacement," Keown said.

"He should help to find his replacement but stay on in the meantime. If he goes now we could be nearly into June before the new man is coming in.

"But it's a great platform to build on after what he's created at the club. He would leave the club in an incredible position."

Watch Arsenal v Chelsea in the Emirates FA Cup final live on BT Sport 2 from 4.30pm on Saturday, May 27. BT Sport is your home of unmissable football from the Emirates FA Cup and Premier League. For more info visit btsport.com.