Arsene Wenger has told Alexis Sanchez he is not a “special case” and the Arsenal manager will decide when to substitute him.
The Chilean star reacted stroppily to being replaced in the recent wins over Swansea and Ludogorets.
Wenger said Gunners medical staff test “the fatigue level of everyone” and he decided Sanchez needed careful handling after playing two recent World Cup qualifiers in South America.
And the Frenchman insisted: “For me he is not a special case. He is a player like everybody else. When I decide to take him off, I take him off.
“There is no special case. He has his own character but he is not treated differently from everybody else.
“They all recognise it after the game but during the game they want to stay on the pitch. You want to play even when you are tired.
“I tested Sanchez because he played two games in South America. Sometimes I rest him straight away after. I played him the other day against Swansea so I thought I would take him off when it is possible. We consider every case individually.”
Sanchez, the player of the tournament when Chile won the Copa America this summer, missed two months last season after aggravating a hamstring injury.
This term he has operated as a centre-forward in Olivier Giroud’s absence and scored six goals. Walcott faces a late fitness test on a hamstring strain before Saturday’s trip to Sunderland but Aaron Ramsey and Giroud are available. But Wenger suggested the France striker will have to wait to return to the starting team.
“I see him (Sanchez) there (as centre-forward),” Wenger said. “He has a short technique and can always create something. He has a good mixture between scoring and giving the final ball.
Giroud and Sanchez are completely different, but they can as well play together. I have to move Alexis out as I always have that problem with Mesut Ozil being behind the striker, he can not move much deeper.
“As much deeper you need defensively to work. So one will have to move wide. And if you move one of them wide, it can only be Alexis.
“It is a good option to have. To leave quality players out is tough. But the toughest thing is not to have quality players.”
Wenger said Lucas Perez will be out for six to eight weeks with the ankle injury suffered against Reading.
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