Alexis Sanchez returns to training after sustaining injury

Despite suffering from a hamstring injury earlier in the week, Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez has returned to training for the Chilean side. Rather than upholding the request of Arsène Wenger to return to Arsenal for a medical assessment, the 27-year-old is believed to have returned to international training already and could be playing a role in Chile’s World Cup qualifier against Uruguay tonight.  As he undertook a light training session this Saturday, Sanchez was photographed wearing heavy bandages on his right thigh. According to Wenger, the move is ‘suicidal’ and Chile could be risking Sanchez’s future for the next couple of months.

Bad Move?

Arsène Wenger has made no secret of the fact that he thinks returning the Chilean player to training so early after a hamstring injury is a bad idea. Talking to beIN Sports, the Arsenal manager said that with an injury such as Sanchez’s, it’s important for the player to have full access to medical staff and an MRI scan to see what grade the injury is, how bad it is and how to frame any future decisions with the player’s best health in mind. He went on to say that he understands how important it is for the international team to look at their own results, however, he also stated that preserving the health and ability of Alex Sanchez should be a top priority.

Will this Affect Arsenal?

It’s clear to see that Arsène Wenger has quite some strong concerns over the way Chile are handling his forward player’s injury, and undoubtedly any further injury for the player could hold consequences for Arsenal this Premier League season. According to the manager, Sanchez ‘always wants to play’, and this has become more of a tricky situation because the Chilean is more than willing to play, even when injured. But, this decision is a risky one for the team who are currently joint first on the Premier League tables with Liverpool. This season, Sanchez has been in fine form for Arsenal, scoring six goals in just eleven Premier League fixtures – something which makes losing this player due to injury even more of a risky prospect for the London team.

Alternative Plans

Although Wenger seems to be concerned over Sanchez’s injury, Arsenal fans can be assured that the manager probably has Plan B ready to go. Late last month, Wenger reportedly warned Sanchez that he will not be except from any plans by the Arsenal manager to rotate his squad. Despite his reaction to being taken off the pitch during the latter stages of the victories over Ludogorets and Swansea earlier in October, Sanchez will ‘not be afforded any special favours’ by Wenger this season. Speaking to The Independent, Wenger said that Sanchez was ‘not a special case’ and that he is not treated differently from any other player.

Hopes for Chile

With Chile currently standing outside the automatic qualification spots for the 2018 Word Cup, it’s no surprise that they are pushing Sanchez through training regardless of his recent injury. As their star player, Sanchez is always willing to put his all into the game, even if that could mean future health consequences for the player. The match against Uruguay is a pivotal one when it comes to the future of Chile in the World Cup, so it’s no surprise that the national set-up is doing everything that it can to ensure that their best player plays a role. For more information on betting on World Cup or Premier League matches, download the Ladbrokes app for Android.

Do you agree with the Arsenal manager that pushing Sanchez to train after a hamstring injury is ‘suicide’? Share your opinions in the comments.

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