Mesut Ozil produced one of his finest performances in an Arsenal shirt during Monday night's 3-1 win over Leicester City.

A goal and assist from the German, who was named captain by manager Unai Emery, capped a mesmerising display at the Emirates Stadium.

Ozil has always had doubters during his time at Arsenal - and, indeed, throughout his career - but when he's in the mood, there isn't a better No.10 in the world.

However, someone was always going to have something negative to say about the 30-year-old and speaking after the game Graeme Souness accused him of going "absent" in big games.

"When Arsenal are not dominating games he's absent," said Souness. "With the utmost respect to Leicester, these are not the games that you want to be judging them on.

"The big games that really matter, where the big players are the ones who make the difference to win you those games and I don't think in his career that he's done that enough times.

"His football was excellent, he's got a football brain and technique that few people have.

"He does go missing in games where Arsenal don't dominate the ball and in the big games I'd question if he's turned up."

Souness has never been Ozil's biggest fan and now the Arsenal playmaker has responded in the best way possible.

Ozil was asked in a recent interview with Sky Sports how he reacts to people like Souness criticising him and simple said: "I just laugh.

"I am not the youngest anymore but I started playing professionally at the age of 16 or 17. It's always been up and down with me - people either like me or they don't.

"I don't listen to these people - I just listen to my coach and my people who say things straight to my face. So of course, if I play bad, I know that just as I know when I play well.

"The most important thing is that the coach can help me - if I make mistakes he can tell me, we can speak and I can improve for the future.

"But if people just say bad things about me because they want to be in the newspaper - I know that and I don't care about them.

"I always have motivation, particularly before the games - I want to win all the games and I hate to lose. Even in training I am p***ed and aggressive because I always want to win."

Well said. Arsenal are on to something good under Emery and Ozil has a huge role to play, so they need him to stay focused.