Share

Wenger tips rested Sanchez to make mark

London - Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes that Alexis Sanchez is ready to play a full part in the season's run-in after inspiring his side to FA Cup victory over Burnley.

The Chile forward made his first start after two months out with a hamstring problem in the holders' 2-1 fourth-round victory at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

Sanchez set up Calum Chambers's 19th-minute opener before scoring the winner and Wenger is hoping his enforced lay-off will benefit the club as they chase glory in the FA Cup, Premier League and Champions League.

"He had a long rest now. It is true that when he got injured, you could see signs of fatigue. Two months' rest is a good winter break!" said Wenger.

"Overall I wasn't too worried about him on the fitness front as I kept him out. Two weeks ago he was there physically, but we had some worries about his muscles.

"He came through this and you could see physically he is ready."

Sanchez was joined in the Arsenal line-up by Francis Coquelin, who was also back following a two-month absence after picking up a knee problem against West Bromwich Albion.

Wenger admitted that he was unsure whether the defensive midfielder would be available, having decided against selecting him against Chelsea six day previously.

But he was satisfied with Coquelin's return and said: "I didn't expect him to be available. I thought it was a bit early for the Chelsea game, but in this game he looked comfortable without any problems."

Wenger also handed a debut to Mohamed Elneny, the Egypt midfielder signed from Basel this month.

The manager was satisfied with his new signing's display, although he admitted it would take time for the 23-year-old to settle fully into his new surroundings.

"I felt he started a bit cautious and played a bit securely," Wenger said. "He became more adventurous and had some good shots on goal.

"His mobility and work-rate was exceptional and for the rest he needs to adjust to the power of the game in the Premier League.

"This was a good welcome and certainly he has learnt a lot. It will take him some time to adjust to the power side of our game here, but the intelligence, mobility and technical level are good."

"It's a hard one for us to make sense of the performance because we haven't won. But we will definitely look at the positives of the performance today (Saturday)."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
loading... Live
Barcelona 1
Paris SG 1
loading... Live
Borussia Dortmund 2
Atletico Madrid 1
Voting Booth
How much would you be prepared to pay for a ticket to watch the Springboks play against the All Blacks at Ellis Park or Cape Town Stadium this year?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
R0 - R200
33% - 1804 votes
R200 - R500
32% - 1767 votes
R500 - R800
19% - 1067 votes
R800 - R1500
8% - 451 votes
R1500 - R2500
3% - 184 votes
I'd pay anything! It's the Boks v All Blacks!
4% - 248 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE