Arsene Wenger will not discipline Alexis Sanchez following the striker’s angry reaction to being substituted in the win at Swansea City.
The Chilean was visibly frustrated when he was withdrawn from the action with 11 minutes left of the 4-0 win, kicking a glove and then sitting apart from his team-mates.
Wenger explained he did not want to risk Sanchez’s fitness, bringing on Danny Welbeck in his place, but said he had no issue with the striker’s response.
“All the players are frustrated when they come off, some show it, some not,” Wenger said. “I am long enough in the job to know that. I just make the decision I feel is right and that’s it. Nothing more than that.
“He’s a good guy who gives a lot and wants to do well, always, for the team. There is no problem. But every culture is different. Some South Americans are a bit different to Europeans. Southern Europeans are different to northern Europeans. You have to respect that. That’s why we are a multi-national team.
“I prefer to score goals and not to concede goals, that is all I like,” Wenger added. “But all the players like the game, I think after you are more extroverted. That’s minor. I think looking at the game, that [Sanchez’s reaction] is really minor, minor, minor.
“We speak always, about everything. Honestly I cannot even answer. I don’t look at that. I look at how well the players do who come on, how comfortable they are, because Danny Welbeck has not played for two years.
“That is, for me, much more important than an individual response.”
Sanchez – who appeared to have calmed down after the match when posting a photo to Instagram with the caption ‘Happy for our victory and for our team’ – had earlier provided gloss to the scoreline with Arsenal’s fourth goal, adding to Olivier Giroud’s opener and own goals from Jack Cork and Kyle Naughton.
“He was very sharp,” added Wenger. “You know I rested him for two weeks and gave him a little breather. I think he benefited from that and I gave him another rest here, so he will benefit from that as well.
“He is hugely influential, Sanchez. You look at the numbers, he had scored 13 goals, seven assists, now 14 goals [this season]. So he was involved in about 25 goals in our team. But we also had players on the bench who are strikers, who need competition.
“We were 4-0 up. [Mesut] Ozil as well comes back from sickness, so it was a good opportunity not to be stupid.”
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