Arsene Wenger has admitted that it was a mistake to omit Alexis Sanchez from his starting line-up after Liverpool were 3-1 winners against Arsenal on Saturday evening.
The Gunners boss opted to leave the Chile international on the bench despite the north London side already being without Mesut Ozil due to illness.
Wenger’s surprise team selection backfired – though, as Liverpool stormed into a 2-0 half-time lead against a disorganised Arsenal side at Anfield.
Roberto Firmino broke the deadlock in the ninth minute with a close-range finish before Sadio Mane completed a sweeping counter-attacking move before half-time.
The Arsenal manager turned to Sanchez in the second half and the South American laid on an assist to tee up Danny Welbeck after the break.
However, Liverpool saw out three points courtesy of Netherlands international Georginio Wijnaldum’s late goal at Anfield.
Speaking to the media after Arsenal’s 3-1 loss at Liverpool, Wenger held his hands up when it came to his controversial decision to leave Sanchez out of his starting XI.
“Yes (it did backfire) but I felt that in the first half the strikers suffered because we didn’t dominant in the midfield and in the second half you could see that it was easier because Danny Welbeck and Olivier Giroud were much better, so it’s always debatable,” said Wenger.
“The thinking was that we had to go more direct and I wanted to play two players who were strong in the air and after that to bring on Alexis Sanchez in the second half.
“We did go direct in the first half. We didn’t create any chances and we didn’t make enough of our corners.
“I am strong enough and lucid enough to analyse. I don’t deny Alexis Sanchez is a great player – I bought him – but this was my plan.”
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