Hat-trick hero Sanchez hailed as world class by Wenger

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger believes Alexis Sanchez is a world-class player after the Chile forward scored a hat-trick in the 5-2 Premier League victory over Leicester City on Saturday.

Sanchez – without a goal in 2015-16 prior to kick-off – powered Arsenal into a 4-1 lead at the King Power Stadium, with Theo Walcott having initially cancelled out Jamie Vardy’s opener.

And Wenger, who has been criticised by many Arsenal supporters for not bringing in a top-quality striker in recent transfer windows, insists that he has one in former Barcelona man Sanchez.

“I think he is [world class],” said Wenger. “I have plenty of players that are. You have to understand the definition of that but overall he [Sanchez] is a striker who is mobile and works hard for the team.

“He is back to his level. He won a big competition with Chile – the Copa America. I think as well mentally to adjust to the game on a mental level takes some time.

“I could see in training a different player in the last week or two and he has shown that [on Saturday]. I believe going forward he always looked dangerous.”

With Vardy having snatched a consolation for Leicester moments earlier, substitute Olivier Giroud made it 5-2 in stoppage time, with Wenger impressed by Arsenal’s determined display.

“I want us to score goals but I must say Leicester played well and to play a good football game there needs to be two teams,” he added.

“[But] we found the resources to equalise and after that our technical quality and in the second half we controlled the game and looked always like we could add another one.”