The Gunners’ talisman suffered a hamstring injury in the second half of the 1-1 draw against Norwich City, and will now be given some time off by Arsenal FC to recuperate
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Arsenal FC manager ArsA?ne Wenger has come in for criticism for playing Alexis SA?nchez against Norwich City despite knowing — and announcing in his press conference — that the Chilean was suffering from a hamstring issue.
As luck would have it, the explosive attacker pulled up at the hour mark at Carrow Road, and had to be substituted immediately. Luckily for the Gunners, the injury is not as bad as first feared, but SA?nchez is still expected to miss at least the next fortnight of action, including the crucial Champions League game against Olympiakos.
Arsenal FC to allow SA?nchez to return to Chile for treatment
Recent comments made by Chile manager Jorge Sampaoli suggest that Arsenal FC have allowed SA?nchez to return to his native country Chile to recover from his hamstring injury. Sampaoli reportedly said to Radio Tele13 (via Arseblog): “We have contacted the medical team at Arsenal, who gave him a week of treatment in Chile.
a We have to see how it is [the injury] to know how quickly he can recover, but we are aware of everything and wea ll see if we can contribute to Alexis getting back on the pitch sooner.a
Wenger had been considering giving the Chilean a rest in the near future, and the injury appears to have prompted him to do that ahead of schedule. However, the Frenchman will be hoping that he will have SA?nchez available during the crucial festive period, which begins with a key fixture at home against Manchester City in the Premier League.
Injury crisis at Arsenal FC is an all-too-familiar tale
The club’s recent injury crisis is not something new to Arsenal FC supporters, who have seen similar crises season after season. The Gunners seem to be disproportionately affected by injuries to key players, and there seems to be a growing consensus that it is not just down to bad luck.
Everything from the competency of the club’s medical staff to Wenger’s training methods has been called into question, and the answer perhaps is a combination of several factors. There is some good news for the fans in that Aaron Ramsey returned from injury against Norwich and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is expected to return shortly, but if they are to really challenge for the league title, the Gunners need all their key players fit and firing.