The Gunners playmaker was on the bench for the defeat to Stoke and subjected to boos by Germany fans in midweek, but Arsene Wenger will start the midfielder if he is fully fit

Arsene Wenger is planning to start Mesut Ozil in Arsenal’s FA Cup quarter-final meeting with Everton on Saturday.

Ozil was on the substitute’s bench as the Gunners turned in an unconvincing performance in the 1-0 defeat to Stoke City in the Premier League last weekend, after a below-par display against Bayern Munich in the Champions League in which he missed a penalty.

The playmaker was booed by Germany fans during a narrow victory over Chile during the international break, but Wenger has confirmed the 25-year-old is in the frame for a start at the Emirates Stadium.

“I haven’t spoken with him,” Wenger told reporters. “If he feels physically all right, I will start him.”

Arsenal have faltered slightly in the Premier League title race in recent weeks and are facing an uphill task to stay in the Champions League after a 2-0 home defeat to Bayern in the last 16 first leg.

But Wenger believes a victory in the FA Cup has been made all the more important by the disappointing defeat to Stoke.

He added: “It’s vital. That’s how important it is. Yes, we want to win and we are in a position where we can do it.

“For us, it’s vital because we had such a disappointing result at Stoke and a non-convincing performance offensively. Of course we need a great response against Everton. What we produced last week was not good enough.

“What is different is that we are in a better position to do it. The second thing is that we are ready for a battle, and to show that we have matured mentally.

“It is one of the priorities. The first priority is always to do well in the Premier League. The FA Cup is our absolute priority just because it is our next game.”