Wright urges Sanchez to leave as Keown questions Wenger

Arsenal greats Ian Wright and Martin Keown have questioned Arsene Wenger’s decision to drop Alexis Sanchez and suggested the Chilean star, who has been linked with Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain, would be right to leave the club.

Amid reports that a falling out with Wenger was behind the surprise exclusion of Sanchez from the starting line-up for Arsenal’s 3-1 defeat against Liverpool, former Gunners striker Wright expressed his sympathy for the Chile international and claimed other clubs will be monitoring the situation.

Sanchez was brought on as a second-half substitute at Anfield when Arsenal were already 2-0 down and he made a positive impact, providing the assist for Danny Welbeck to pull a goal back.

Wright speculated about how the omission and Arsenal’s recent form – which has included a 5-1 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League – would be affecting the ex-Barcelona star’s mindset.

He told BT Sport: “I’d be thinking ‘If I can’t get in this team — hammered out of the Champions League and not in the top four — I know there’ll be other teams’.

“He has nothing to lose now.

“It was a strange game to leave him out of. It baffled me.”

Sanchez joined Arsenal in July 2014 and has since made 91 Premier League appearances for the club, scoring 46 goals and collecting an FA Cup winner’s medal, and he has been in outstanding form in 2016-17.

34 – Alexis Sánchez has been involved in 34 goals for Arsenal in 2016-17; double the tally of any other player for the club. Difference. pic.twitter.com/tpg4GGYaYZ

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 5, 2017

Keown, who won three Premier League titles with Arsenal under Wenger, responded to the situation by calling his former manager’s judgement into question.

Speaking on Match of the Day, the retired centre-back described the decision to drop Sanchez as “stunning”.

“I really can’t understand the thinking behind that, why Arsene Wenger wouldn’t want to play him. He’s their best player,” he said.