Wenger warns Chile against playing injured Sanchez

London - Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has implored Chile not to risk the fitness of Alexis Sanchez by playing him against Uruguay on Tuesday.

The 27-year-old forward sustained a hamstring injury in training with La Roja earlier this week ahead of Thursday's World Cup qualifier against Colombia.

Sanchez has been ruled out of the clash in Barranquilla, but he remained with the national team in hope that he would recover in time to face La Celeste next week.

However, with an important match coming up against Manchester United at Old Trafford after the international break, Wenger is pleading with the Chilean Football Federation to err on the side of caution by giving their star player the rest he needs to fully recover.

"I got a text last night [to say] that he has a hamstring injury," the Frenchman is quoted by the Daily Mirror as telling beIN Sports.

"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.

"He always wants to play and that's where it is a more sensitive case because he's always ready to play even when injured."

Wenger will be hoping that Sanchez can be passed fit for their next English Premiership encounter against Manchester United at Old Trafford next Saturday.

Sanchez has been an integral part of the Gunners side as he has been deployed as a central striker, where his pace and running in behind opposition defences has created space for his fellow attackers such as Theo Walcott and Mesut Ozil, that has seen them flourish so far this season.