Unai Emery praised Mesut Ozil for the way he has responded to his demands, stating that he is "very happy" with the midfielder's form.

Ozil's physicality was questioned by Emery earlier in the season, leading to the former Real Madrid man being in and out of the starting XI.

However, the playmaker has featured in 10 of Arsenal's last 13 games, starting seven of those, and his upturn in fortunes has coincided with a run of form that has seen the Gunners lose just once in their past eight competitive fixtures.

And Emery praised Ozil for buying into his methods, telling a news conference ahead of Sunday's trip to Everton: "He is working very well and playing well. He is helping us. I am very happy with him.

"Now in the team we have a good atmosphere, good spirit. Each player is helping us with his quality and good behaviour. This is the spirit I want. They are doing that and Mesut is also." 

Ozil has been utilised in an attacking line-up in recent weeks, often starting in the same side as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette.

Emery used Aubameyang off the bench in Monday's 2-0 win over Newcastle United due to illness, but he could recall the Gabon international to the starting line-up against the Toffees.

"Each match is different and each match we need tactically to play with three or four, sometimes with five, it depends on the opposition," he added. "It depends, above all, on the quality with our players.

"After we need strikers, Lacazette and Aubameyang can play together or one, another on the bench. It depends in 90 minutes how we can respond tactically with two or one.

"Above all it's very important to be with the commitment every moment to help us and understand what we need." 

Arsenal are fourth in the Premier League ahead of Sunday's trip to Goodison Park, with a game in hand on the sides around them.