Having fired a flurry of goals in recent matches, Mesut Ozil has become a key target for Fantasy Premier League managers ahead of Gameweek 10.
Despite scoring three goals in seven starts, with five in his last six in all competitions, Ozil (£9.6m) resides in just 8.7% of FPL squads.
Interest has instead turned to Alexis Sanchez (£11.3m, 23.8% ownership) and Theo Walcott (£8.1m, 21.8% ownership) as a route into the Gunners' vibrant attack.
But Sanchez's role as Arsenal's lone striker appears to have benefitted Ozil's goal potential.
With Olivier Giroud (£8.8m) hampered by injuries, Sanchez's new position up front has given Arsenal greater mobility in the final third, allowing Ozil to become more instrumental in the opposition penalty area.
Compared with the previous campaign, Ozil has had more touches in the box (from 3.6 to 5.8) and efforts (from 0.9 to 1.1). As a result, he has scored 25% of his attempts, almost double last term's 12.8% goal conversion rate.
He has also become more single-minded in possession this season.
Ozil created 4.1 chances per appearance in 2015/16 on his way to 19 assists, but this average has slipped to 2.4.
Mesut Ozil 2015/16 v 2016/17
| 2015/16 | 2016/17 | |
| Goal attempts per match | 1.3 | 1.5 |
| Penalty area attempts per match | 0.9 | 1.1 |
| Penalty area touches | 3.6 | 5.8 |
| Goal conversion rate | 12.8% | 25% |
| Chances created | 4.1 | 2.4 |
Indeed the German has yet to collect a single assist this term but, since his first start in Gameweek 3, has registered more key passes (18) than any team-mate.
Although Giroud returned to action in the EFL Cup win over Reading, he is likely to be restricted to minutes off the bench, used as a Plan B by Arsene Wenger late in matches against stubborn, deep-lying defences.
With Sanchez expected to lead the line at Sunderland in Gameweek 10, Ozil is well-placed to profit.
One of only two sides yet to register a clean sheet, David Moyes's men are bottom and have conceded 18.4 shots per match, better than only Hull City (21.6) and Burnley (19.4) over the opening nine Gameweeks.
