Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has claimed that Mesut Ozil is stronger than he was before his injury layoff.

The German international has been ruled out for the last three months with a knee injury, but Wenger believes that he has spent his time recuperating to improve his physical strength.

"He has worked hard, I think he has taken to the fact that he wants to be stronger," he told the club's official website.

"You have more time to focus on it [when you are injured]. Every day he is in the gym and he can work on it and as well you don't have the fatigue of the games. And it's better when you look in the mirror!

"It is not only down to pure strength when you play football. It is down to when to switch your strength on and the timing of your switch on."

Ozil is expected to make his return to the starting lineup for the Gunners in their FA Cup tie at Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday.