Arsenal hero Lee Dixon believes Mesut Ozil's future could hinge on selection against Tottenham.

Ozil crowned his first Premier League start since January with a goal and an assist in the 5-1 thumping of Bournemouth at home on Wednesday, but has often been left out of potentially tricky away trips under Emery.

Arsenal go to Wembley to face Tottenham on Saturday with the chance to move within a point of their rivals in third, and when asked whether Ozil needed to be starting in games of such magnitude, Dixon told the London Evening Standard: “Yes, absolutely.

“That's what everybody wants and I'm sure he wants to be in that position, but wanting it and making it happen are two different things.

“Is he knocking on the manager's door, and saying 'right I want this situation to change, what do I need to do?' That's what I would be doing if I was him, but it's quite clear that we're very different characters."

And Dixon insists: “If he came to me, if he was playing on my side and said, 'Look Lee, I'm not going to track back as much as you want, but I'll win you the game', I would do everything I could to make that happen.

“He needs special management. If you're not willing to do that as a group of players, and as a coach, then there's no future for him at the club."