London (AFP) – A year on since moving from Arsenal to Manchester United, Alexis Sanchez has become little more than an afterthought in the Red Devils’ revival since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took caretaker charge.
Sanchez returns to the Emirates for the first time on Friday in the FA Cup fourth round as Solskjaer targets an eighth straight win since replacing the sacked Jose Mourinho.
However, Sanchez has had little impact on United’s upturn in recent weeks with Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford the key players flourishing since Solskjaer released the shackles imposed by Mourinho’s more conservative approach.
Both form and fitness have deserted the Chilean since he bagged reportedly the most lucrative contract in Premier League history last January in a swap deal that saw Henrikh Mkhitaryan head to Arsenal.
Sanchez scored 80 goals in 166 games for the Gunners, but has managed just four in 32 appearances over the past year for United.
Mourinho staunchly defended Sanchez during his first six months at Old Trafford, but even the Portuguese’s patience ran out after a string of poor performances this season.
Hamstring and thigh injuries have hampered his attempts to get back into the side under Solskjaer, but the Norwegian has found a winning formula in the understanding formed between Rashford, Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard.
Sanchez has started just once, in the previous round of the FA Cup against Reading, since the change in management.
Solskjaer has insisted he will get the chance to impress, but as part of his intention to rotate his front line with United still involved in three competitions.
“There are the three who play the most but then you’ve got Romelu (Lukaku), you’ve got Juan (Mata), you’ve got Alexis, so I’ve got a front six I can rotate with,” said Solskjaer.
“I used to be one of four strikers when we played with two. Now we have six forwards and we play with three most of the time.
“We’ll be OK to be able to rotate and there’s enough games and playing time.”
A bit part role is not what United had in mind when they presented Sanchez to much fanfare 12 months ago having beaten rivals Manchester City to his signature.
However, Arsenal have also suffered the aftereffects of the deal that took Sanchez to United.
Like Sanchez, Mesut Ozil was entering the final six months of his contract at the Emirates a year ago.
from World Soccer Talk http://bit.ly/2B1tsyU
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