I think he would have bowled really well on that surface, a

Mesut Ozil can prove the catalyst to Arsenal finally getting their hands back on the Premier League title, according to former Gunners midfielder Robert Pires. Arsenal take on rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday lunchtime - in a match you can see live on Sky Sports 1 HD - having enjoyed an impressive start to the season.Arsene Wengers side sit fourth in the table, just two points behind leaders Liverpool, with Ozils preformances crucial to their good form domestically and in Europe. In an exclusive interview with Sky Sports Geoff Shreeves, Pires said: I always believe in Arsenal and the squad. At this point, Mesut Ozil can make the difference and I hope he can make Arsenal win the title this season because he has very good quality. Now he needs to put in his head that he can score.The Germany international has scored seven times and contributed a further four assists in 14 games in all competitions this campaign, but it has been his goalscoring exploits that has pleased Pires the most. If I compare Ozil and Bergkamp, theyre very similar because they can, how do you say in English… smell the same football. Robert Pires Normally he wants to pass or assist, which is very good and I love it when you have a player like him on the pitch, Pires added. But sometimes you need an ego, not too much, but a little bit of an ego. But I do not want to put too much pressure on Mesut though!Pires, who spent six seasons with the Gunners, likened the 28-year-olds influence to that of his former Arsenal team-mate, Dutch maestro Dennis Bergkamp. Ozils goalscoring form for Arsenal so far this season has caught Pires eye I do not like to compare the players, the team or the manager, he said. But for example in my time, it was an honour to train every morning with Bergkamp or Thierry Henry.But as I am still training with the team, I can judge some players. Because if I can compare Ozil and Bergkamp, they are very similar in everything because they can smell the same football.They play for the team and not anyone else, they have very good control. Bergkamp and Ozil can play very long balls and they have very good vision. Ozil and Bergkamp are very close.However, it is not just Ozil, but players of the quality of Alexis Sanchez, Santi Cazorla and Laurent Koscielny who give Pires the belief his old team can win their first title since he was part of the 2003-04 Invincibles side. Robert Pires (right) has likened current Arsenal playmaker Ozil Bergkamp (centre) He added: I think when you see the name of the players at Arsenal, you can say: This team can win the title at the end of the season.Because you have Ozil, Sanchez, Cazorla and Koscielny. I think all the players have won some titles with their country or the national team, so this is very good for Wenger and the club because they can put this experience on the team.Maybe we need more character, like from my time with Patrick Vieira or Tony Adams, but the team is very good.It is very difficult as normally this is natural, like Adams, Ray Parlour, Lee Dixon, Vieira or Thierry Henry. But when I see the guys - maybe [Francis] Coquelin - they have a very good character and spirit like English players. But maybe we need more players like Coquelin. Six months half price Upgrade to Sky Sports to watch Man Utd v Arsenal on Saturday and get the first six months half price But in a team you need a mix of players with ability, technique, physical and sometimes you can fight with the other players. Robert Pires believes Arsenal have the quality of players to go on and win this seasons Premier League Pires, though, feels Saturdays encounter at the Old Trafford will reveal a lot about the Gunners championship credentials this season, with an Arsenal win proving they are ready to end their 13-year wait for the title.Of course it is still a special game, a big game, said Pires, who won two Premier Leagues during his time at Highbury. We know the reality of Man United v Arsenal, normally they both fight for the title, so I think - and hope - it will be a great game. Robert Pires (left) won the title with Arsenal in 2002 and 2004 I think it is a good test for Arsenal, normally at Old Trafford you can see your teams performance, so of course it is a special game for everybody. If you win at Old Trafford, then you can say: Arsenal are ready and compact, because the team is very good.I do not know what is happening with the game for United, but it will be a very good test for Arsene Wenger and the players.Pires, meanwhile, describes Arsenals opponents this weekend as being in a complicated situation at present, who languish outside the top five in the Premier League and eight points off top spot.This period is actually a little bit complicated for Manchester United, especially for Jose Mourinho, he said. But you know Mourinho, he is still the Special One because he is one of the best managers in Europe and maybe in the world, because he won in Portugal, Italy, the UK and Spain with Madrid. Pires has backed compatriot Paul Pogba to be a success at Manchester United However, the Frenchman has called for patience, not just with the United manager, but also his compatriot Paul Pogba, who has struggled since joining the club from Juventus for £93.25m last summer.Sometimes you need, even for Mourinho, time because it is normal, he wants to build something with Man Utd, said Pires. So maybe in January he wants to change some players and sign some players who want to play for Man Utd.But it is not serious for Man Utd, it is, an accident? This is a transition for Man Utd and Jose Mourinho. Even for the players like Paul Pogba, who is a very good player. Geoff Shreeves (right) met Arsenal legend Robert Pires He is doing very well with the national team, he did very well with Juventus, so now he changes everything. Of course he knows the Premier League and Man Utd, but it is not the same, it is not Serie A.Pogbas critics should wait a while before passing definitive judgement on the worlds most expensive player, according to Pires, especially given the time it takes to adjust from life in Serie A to that of the Premier League.It is too early to judge him because he is very young and for him it is very difficult because he has a lot of pressure on his shoulders, he said. Even for Zlatan Ibrahimovic it is a problem. It is not the same, it is very difficult, very physical, every game is very tight.But Pires, who knows a thing or two about how to make it as a Frenchman in the English top flight after helping guide Arsenal to two league titles on his way to being voted the Football Writers Player of the year in 2002, has no doubt Pogba will be a success at United. For Paul we need to be patient with him and then maybe after five or six months, the people can judge Paul Pogba, but believe me he is a very good player, he said.Watch the Robert Pires interview in full ahead of Manchester United v Arsenal on Sky Sports 1 HD on Saturday at 11.30am, as well as getting it on demand.Upgrade to Sky Sports now to watch Man Utd v Arsenal this Saturday and get the first six months half price! Also See: Nevs Man Utd-Arsenal preview Arsenals travel trouble Tylers Man Utd-Arsenal Special The importance of Carrick Dave Niehaus Angels Jersey . -- Claudio Bieler hadnt scored since early September, and not from the run of play since mid-July. Don Sutton Angels Jersey . Gerald Green and Miles Plumlee? Green had bounced around the NBA when he wasnt playing overseas. The Pacers gave up on Plumlee after just one season. Now Green and Plumlee are key cogs in the Suns surprising breakout season. https://www.cheapangels.com/2083j-garret-anderson-jersey-angels.html . -- When the Florida Panthers fell behind by two goals in the first period to the top team in the NHL, it appeared they were on their way to yet another loss. Tim Salmon Angels Jersey . The scientists believe the small earthquake during a Marshawn Lynch touchdown was likely greater than Lynchs famous "beast quake" touchdown run three years ago, which also came against New Orleans during a playoff game. Bert Blyleven Angels Jersey . Parker had 26 points and eight assists and San Antonio beat Toronto 112-99 Monday night. "We won that game because of Tony Parkers aggressiveness," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "His juice; his aggression all night long.Nick Knight hopes Stuart Broad returns to the England side for the fourth one-day international in Johannesburg. An inexperienced England attack struggled in slipping to a seven-wicket defeat to South Africa in Centurion on Tuesday, with Quinton de Kock (135) and Hashim Amla (127) scoring high-class centuries as the hosts successfully chased 318.The loss means England have been pegged back in the series, leading 2-1 with two games to play. Watch a pick of the action from the third ODI between South Africa and England Its hard to be critical of the bowling, said Knight. But theyre all inexperienced lads - there was no Broad in there - and these guys are all still learning their trade.Amla and De Kock were quite brilliant - the way they constructed their partnership - and it was such a masterclass that you felt that they would chase pretty much anything down. Quinton de Kock (L) and Hashim Amla (R) were the stars for South Africa in their third ODI win It was about whether England could take early wickets, and they couldnt. The bowlers tried absolutely everything, as did Eoin Morgan.He tried to rotate his bowlers, but never quite found a combination where he could stymie the runs, push the required-rate up and put pressure on.Again thats partly down to the skill of the batsmen, but lets face it, without a Steven Finn, Liam Plunkett or a Broad, Morgan is slightly hamstrung - he doesnt have that extra pace to try and change the game. Eoin Morgan, AB de Villiers and Quinton de Kock share their thoughts after England suffered a seven wicket defeat to South Africa in the third ODI There was a time when some of those young kids, in the heat of the battle out there, need an experienced hand on their shoulder to say this is what were going to try and do, and how were going to do it.ddddddddddddIts no secret - I said it before the series started - I would have gone with Broad. I would have rested him for the last Test, and played him in the ODIs, not all five games, but the first three. Ironically, I think he would have bowled really well on that surface, as there was a slight difference between the way the two sides bowled - South Africa had a much taller attack, with the likes of Morne Morkel, Kagiso Rabada, and Kyle Abbott hitting the pitch just back of a length.They got a little bit more from the surface. Conditions were in their favour, as the pitch got better, and the England bowlers were a little bit fuller, and didnt have quite the same pace. Watch England skittle South Africa for just 83 runs in their third Test win in Johannesburg, with Stuart Broad taking six wickets Dont forget, it was a game South Africa had to win to stay in the series, so it was a tremendous performance from two high quality players with a huge amount of pressure on both of them.It has set up the rest of the series beautifully going into Johannesburg. Broad bowled brilliantly there in the Test match taking 6-17, and I hope they bring him back, because they could knock the series on the head with a win there.Will South Africa square up the series in Johannesburg on Friday? Find out from 11am on Sky Sports 2. You can also follow all the action with our live blog. Also See: De Kock cuts Englands lead Scorecard As it happened Cricket videos ' ' '