Mesut Ozil, downtrodden after their 6-3 defeat at the Etihad, slowly waltzed off the pitch, head down and deep in thought.
A shout from countryman Per Mertesacker caught his attention, and the £43 million signing looked up.
Mertesacker had called his fellow German over to join the rest of the squad in clapping the away fans, an expected gesture to show appreciation for those who made the trip despite the ugly scoreline.
Ozil was having none of it. He threw up his hand in disgust at Mertesacker and kept walking, an action which drew the ire of the Arsenal captain.
Mertesacker ran over and the towering German defender shouted in Ozil’s ear and shook his finger angrily, reminding the attacking player who ultimately pays their paychecks:
The fans.
UPDATE: Ozil has issued an apology on his Facebook page following the incident. “Sorry I didn’t thank the fans at the end of the game!” Ozil said. “You have been brilliant to me and I know you had traveled a long way and spent your money to support us. I was upset with the result and know I should have come to say ‘thank you’ and I know it is a big Arsenal tradition win, lose, or draw.”
Manager Arsene Wenger wasn’t worried about the incident following the match, attempting to diffuse the situation by saying, “That is the Germans, they will sort that out between themselves. Don’t worry.”
Arsenal, top of the league despite the loss, have born enormous fruit in front of goal thanks to the signing of Ozil. However, the German must remember the supporters are an important structure of the Premier League, or any sports team.
If anything, he should be thankful for those who stuck around the entirety of the match after Manchester City asserted their home dominance and forced Gunner supporters to endure a second-half drubbing.
Ozil is a newcomer to the Premier League, a league that has a history of clapping fans more than any other places he’s been before. It’s understood he’s new to the scene, but that’s no excuse to ignore those who support you through thick and thin.
