Two charged over attempted robbery on Arsenal duo Kolasinac and Ozil

Two men have been charged with attempted robbery on Arsenal duo Sead Kolasinac and Mesut Ozil.

The two players were confronted by two offenders wielding knives in London on July 25.

Kolasinac was seen on camera fending off the attackers with Ozil ultimately driving the pair away from the scene and to a local restaurant for help. 

Nearly two months after the incident, Ashley Smith, 30, and Jordan Northover, 26, have now been charged. 

In a statement released by police, it's shown that both face charges of attempted robbery and threatening a person with an offensive weapon in a public place, while Smith has also been charged with the possession of cannabis. 

Smith, who has been remanded in custody, is next set to appear at Snaresbrook Crown Court on October 3, while Northover will appear via video link at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court on September 25. 

After the incident, both Kolasinac and Ozil missed the Gunners' Premier League season opener against Newcastle with the duo keen to put the attack behind them. 

“I'm happy to be back,” Kolasinac said last week.

“Of course, mentally it was hard. We also missed training for a couple of days. I made up for that [though].

"I'm happy to be back with the team and [ready to] perform with them on the pitch.I don't want to talk about what happened in detail.

"It happened and now it's something that belongs in the past. The same with Mesut. We are back and we are focused on our job and the team."

While Kolasinac has become a regular under Unai Emery this season, Ozil has struggled for minutes, having featured just once so far in the league.

The German midfielder did however start on Tuesday in a 5-0 win over Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup, with Ozil also trusted with the captain's armband. 

Arsenal are currently fourth in the Premier League having lost just once this season and next face Manchester United at Old Trafford on Monday.