Arsenal vs Newcastle: Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey’s ability to adapt is key to success, says Unai Emery

The Gunners manager has frequently tinkered with his setup in recent weeks

Unai Emery says the readiness of Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey to embrace different formations has been fundamental to Arsenal’s recent run of form.

The Gunners’ head coach has favoured tweaking his system, particularly the forward line, during the course of matches, and is likely to continue that practice when Newcastle visit Emirates Stadium on Monday.

Victory against the Magpies would bring Arsenal a 10th straight home win in the Premier League as they battle to secure a top-four place and Champions League qualification for next season.

And it was the mercurial Ozil, along with departing Wales international Ramsey, who drew specific praise from Emery as he cited their willingness to adapt to tactical change.

“I think we are taking a good performance using a different system and different players,” said Emery. “For example, we started the last two matches playing 3-4-1-2.

“But we finished it playing 3-4-3, with players helping us in the 90th minute with a different system and different positions. I think we need to continue doing that.

“Maybe we can start with one system, maybe during the match we can change and the best positive is for all the players to be ready to help us, with a good mentality for work like we need each time.

“At first I used information from last year or the last two years. Mesut can play like a No 10 player, or starting on the right or left, in a different system, and he has a good mentality.

“And also Aaron Ramsey can play in a system with two or three midfielders, getting more in the opposition box.

“I used this information with this player and I think this player’s mind is very open to help us, to play in different positions and give us a big performance. He has a very good attitude to do that.”

Ozil, who was the club’s record signing at £42m when he joined them from Real Madrid in 2013, has been in and out of the Arsenal side since Emery succeeded Arsene Wenger at the end of last season.

Unai Emery praised Mesut Ozil’s mentality (Getty) (Getty Images)

However, the former Germany international has started in each of the Gunners’ last three games and Emery is satisfied by the level of his performances both at the training ground and on the pitch.

“There’s no change,” said the Arsenal boss. “His quality, his performance, his consistency in each training [session] and each match is good for us.

“He is training, he is playing and he is being consistent, sometimes starting in the first XI, sometimes on the bench.”

Ozil and Ramsey, who missed Wales’ European Championship qualifying win over Slovakia last weekend due to a thigh problem, are both expected to feature against Newcastle.

Ramsey is expected to be fit to start, despite suffering an injury on international duty with Wales (Reuters)

Granit Xhaka is also likely to be available for the Gunners despite limping off – also with a thigh injury – while on international duty for Switzerland.

Fellow midfielder Lucas Torreira serves the last of a three-match suspension as Emery’s side attempt to recapture a top-four position at the expense of Manchester United, who climbed above them with a 2-1 win against Watford on Saturday.

“Each match is giving us possibility to progress, first in the table, also improving as a team in our system and our tactical thinking and also individually,” added Emery.

“I want there to be, each match, the thinking that each player can progress and can show us he’s improving.

“In the table, our objective is very clear, to be in the top four but we know it’s difficult. Each possibility, like this one, is giving us confidence and also a new challenge.”