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One of the players Arsenal can thank for their strong start to the season is Alexis Sanchez. So it isn’t surprising that, upon hearing that the Chilean forward’s “calf problem” is actually a hamstring injury, Arsene Wenger is irate. Despite the injury, Chile decided to keep Alexis with the team in hopes he could regain enough health to face Uruguay on Tuesday, something the Arsenal boss deemed a “suicidal decision”.
Wenger told beIN Sports:
“I got a text last night (to say) that he has a hamstring injury. The team from Chile has travelled without him and they kept him to try and get him fit to play Uruguay for the second game on Tuesday night.
“I believe that with a hamstring injury. We have to get access for our medical staff to the MRI scan to see what grade it is, how bad it is and make absolutely sure they don’t make any suicidal decision that could harm his future for two or three months.
“That is absolutely important. It’s a grey area between the national team and the club team and of course they look at their own results which I can understand but we have to preserve the health of Alexis Sanchez.”
Wenger’s worry is justified. If anything typifies Alexis it is an endless willingness to play despite his status, identified by Wenger himself. Last year, a routine hamstring turned into an extended layoff, missing seven games for Arsenal across the busy holiday period. With the prospect that their best forward might be facing a three month layoff, Arsenal will be keened to see Alexis brought back to London for treatment than be risked further injury by playing for Chile.
This season, Alexis has 8 goals and 5 assists in all compeitions and has been the spark for the offense. With injuries to Lucas Perez and Theo Walcott still battling niggles, it leaves Arsenal with only freshly returned Olivier Giroud up top as an option. Looks like they’ll be forced to sweat out his remaining internations now, in hopes they have anything resembling a strikeforce for their upcoming game against Manchester United.