Arsenal: Arsene Wenger backs Mesut Ozil to win the PFA Player of the Year award

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has backed Mesut Ozil to win the PFA Player of the Year award as he has been the most consistent player in the Premier League by far. The German has picked up 18 assists and scored six goals, while also creating the maximum number of chances in the Premier League.

Ozil has been criticised for his failure to influence games since coming into the league in 2013 from Real Madrid but the 27-year-old has answered his critics this time around and if not for the brilliance of the Leicester City trio of Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez and N'Golo Kante, he would be the front runner to pick up the award. However, Arsenal's failure to put in a proper title challenge has turned the tide in Leicester's favour, who are currently 13 points ahead, albeit having played a game more.

Wenger is still confident that there is hope for Arsenal in the league as a lot can change over the course of the next six games and has urged the PFA to seriously consider Ozil's candidature for this award. The Frenchman expects the German to finish the season with 10 goals, his maximum ever tally in a league campaign.

"He [Ozil] has been more efficient [this season]," Wenger told Arsenal's official website. "I think he has created more chances and has scored more goals especially. I believe in a guy like Ozil, you see 10 to 15 goals, and I hope he will get to 10 at the end of the season but that is always what you think he should get.

"[When it comes to] providing chances, he is miles ahead on assists and combining the goalscoring with the assists means he deserves this award."

The Gunners take on Crystal Palace at the Emirates this weekend, having drawn their last game against West Ham at Upton Park. The north London club were two goals up till the end of the first half, before a hattrick by Andy Carroll put the Hammers ahead, only for Laurent Koscielny to salvage home a point.