Arsenal host Everton at the Emirates in what is sure to be another fine display of football.
This weekend sees Arsenal host Everton in what has been a feast of attacking football over the years.
This season, Everton travel to the Emirates trying to bounce back from a disappointing 3-0 defeat to Manchester United, while the Gunners are keen to keep up their current fine form.
Key players in both sides are Mesut Ozil and Ross Barkley, with the attacking midfielders having enjoyed stellar starts to the campaign, putting in impressive performances along the way.
We decided to compare both men to see who comes out on top so far.
| Total Final Third Passes per Game | Successful Final Third Passes per Game | Total Attempted Assists per Game | Ontarget Attempted Assists per Game | Total Scoring Attempts per Game | Ontarget Scoring Attempts per Game | Total Contests per Game | Won Contests per Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mesut Özil | 34.6 | 29.6 | 4.6 | 3.2 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 2.2 | 1.2 |
| Ross Barkley | 19.5 | 14.6 | 1.8 | 1.1 | 3.1 | 1 | 5 | 2.6 |
And it’s a surprising draw, as both players managed to come out on top in four areas apiece.
Ozil, arguably one of several world class players in his position, came out on top when it came to total final third passes and successful final third passes per game, as well as attempted assists and on target attempted assists.
Barkley, though, came out on top when it came to total scoring attempts and on target scoring attempts per game, while also winning when it came to total contested dribbles and contests won.
A surprising draw between the two players, then, although given Ozil is well known for not being prolific, it is not surprising that Barkley beats him in this area.
Who comes out on top when they go head-to-head on Saturday is sure to prove pivotal to which side will leave with all three points.
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