Sokratis has also been left out of the squad for the group stages by Gunners manager Mikel Arteta

Mesut Ozil has been left out of Arsenal’s 25-man squad for the Europa Leaguegroup stages.

The club’s highest earning player - who pockets £350,000 ($454,000) a week - is one of two senior players who has been cut by boss Mikel Arteta, whose 25-man squad for the competition is only allowed to include 17 ‘non locally trained players’.

With 19 to choose from, however, Arteta has had to decide which two he would not involve - and Ozil, along with defender Sokratis, has been left out.

*Given the German has not played a single minute since football’s restart in June following the coronavirus enforced suspension, it is perhaps no surprise to see him axed from the squad.

Yet the fact he is the club’s highest earner still makes his omission eye-catching, especially as Arteta is expected to use the group stages of the Europa League as an opportunity to give some game time to players who have not been featuring much in the Premier League.

The decision comes just a day after Ozil publicly stated he would be willing to pay the wages of Jerry Quy, the man who has played the role of Gunnersaurus - the Arsenal mascot - for the past 27 years. Ozil’s took to social media to make the offer after it emerged that Quy had been made redundant.

“I was so sad that Jerry Quy aka our famous and loyal mascot Gunnersaurus and integral part of our club was being made redundant after 27 years,” said the former Real Madridstar. “As such, I’m offering to reimburse Arsenal with the full salary of our big green guy as long as I will be an Arsenal player so Jerry can continue his job that he loves so much.”

Ozil’s last appearance for Arsenal came in the win against West Ham in March, the final match before football was suspended due to the pandemic.

He has not even made a matchday squad this season, even in the Carabao Cup when Arteta has rung the changes.

When quizzed on the playmaker’s absence after the 2-0 win at Leicester last month, the Arsenal boss said: “The team is evolving, you can see the level they are achieving. This is where we are at the moment. We want to evolve more and play better and compete better.

“You can see that the players we are changing, we are using, it's very difficult every week not just for Mesut but for some other players as well to make the squad. Every week we try to pick the right players.

“It's difficult for others as well that aren't involved in the Premier League and didn't play tonight either. We have a squad of 26, 27 players at the moment and we can't give playing time to all of them.

“I understand and I respect your questions but I have to try to do my job as fair as possible. I try to select the players that are, in my opinion, in better condition.”

UEFA are due to officially announce Arsenal's 25-man squad for the Europa League group stages on Thursday morning.

https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/ozil-axed-arsenal-europa-league-squad/1cyxdhzwi3fqi1ggugpuf3xbz8

A hat-trick from new signing Ollie Watkins and a Jack Grealish double saw Aston Villa hammer reigning Premier League champions Liverpool 7-2 on Sunday, Completesports.com reports.

Liverpool are now the first defending champion to concede seven goals in a League game since Arsenal shipped in seven against Sunderland in 1953.

It is now three wins out of three games played so far for Villa while for Liverpool it is a first defeat in the league this season.

This is the second time Villa will score seven goals in a Premier League game since a 7-1 versus Wimbledon in 1995.

Also this is the first time Liverpool have conceded seven since a 7-2 league defeat at Tottenham in April 1963.

Watkins is the 10th player to score a Premier League hat-trick against Liverpool, and the first since Dimitar Berbatov in September 2010.

He is the first English-born player to do so since Kevin Lisbie for Charlton in Sept 2003

Salah’s goal was his 100th in English Football (98 Liverpool, 2 Chelsea) on his 177th appearance.

The Villains move up to second on nine points with Liverpool are fifth also on nine points.

Villa opened scoring in the 4th minute

after Jack Grealish pounced on Adrian’s mistake and played in Watkins who made no mistake for his first Premier League goal.

In the 22 minute Watkins doubled Villa’s lead as he cut into the box from the left and bend a super finish into the top corner.

Salah reduced the deficit in the 33 minute, lashing in a lovely strike to bring the score to 2-1.

But just two minutes after Salah’s goal Villa’s two-goal cushion was restored thanks to John McGinn whose shot from outside the box was deflected in.

Watkins completed his hat-trick in the 39th minute after heading in at the back post to make it 4-1.

Ten minutes into the second half Barkley got his debut Villa goal as he curled in after a slick one-two with Grealish to make it 5-1.

Salah got is second in the 60th minute, smashing in a superb strike to pull another one back which brought the score to 5-2.

Villa continued to go for more goals and were rewarded in the 66th minute through Grealish whose shot is deflected into the back of the net off Fabinho to go 6-2 ahead.

With 15 minutes left in the game Grealish got his second of the game off McGinn’s classy through ball to make it 7-2.

Source:https://www.completesports.com/watkins-hattrick-premier-league-aston-villa-destroy-epl-champions-liverpool-7-2-at-villa-park/