Arsene Wenger revealed he took a gamble in handing a Premier League debut to Mesut Ozil in Arsenal's 3-1 win at Sunderland.
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The Arsenal manager's high-risk strategy paid off as the £43 million record signing played a key role in his English top flight bow on Saturday.
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Under-the-weather Ozil almost missed out due to a stomach bug, but he was pressed into immediate action far from 100 per cent fit, after his high-profile move from Real Madrid, due to injuries to the depleted Gunners' squad.
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Ozil was taken off late on after an impressive introduction as two second-half goals from Wales midfielder Aaron Ramsey helped seal victory to make it three wins from four games for the Gunners.
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After seeing his side strengthen their place among the early pace-setters thanks to two assists from his new arrival, Wenger revealed: "Mesut was like the team, he had an outstanding first-half and dropped physically in the second.
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"He was sick on Thursday night and I only decided this morning to play him because he had a stomach bug.
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"His first-half performance was outstanding but if Santi Cazorla had been fit, Ozil would have been on the bench as he was sick and I wouldn't have taken a gamble otherwise."
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Olivier Giroud, who opened the scoring from Ozil's pass, is a major doubt for the midweek Champions League trip to Marseille with a knee injury and Wenger conceded he is likely to be without Spanish midfielder Cazorla until the end of October.
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The Frenchman added: "Cazorla's ankle problem means he will be out for a few weeks. I don't think he will play before the next international break. Giroud has a knee injury and we are very thin now."
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Sunderland levelled through substitute Craig Gardner's penalty and were denied a second equaliser by a controversial call from referee Martin Atkinson to rule-out a 'goal' for United States international Jozy Altidore.
Mesut Ozil had a wonderful debut for Arsenal FC so let's just hope it stays like that else fans will start bashing him too!