Arsene Wenger compares Alexis Sanchez to a 'hungry lion'

Alexis Sanchez scored two goals for Arsenal in their 3-0 win against Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has praised his forward Alexis Sanchez and likened him to a hungry lion, as per reports on the Mirror. Wenger has compared the in-form Chilean to a lion because of his explosive and committed style of play despite getting frequently knocked down by the opposition players on the pitch.

The 26-year-old has been instrumental for the Gunners since joining them from Barcelona in 2014 and has already bagged nine goals this season. After inspiring his national side to a Copa America triumph in the summer, Sanchez has been playing regularly for a number of months without any breaks.

He put up a stunning performance in midweek against Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League group match, inspiring the side to a 3-0 win with his two goals and setting up one for teammate Mesut Ozil. However, the Emirates Stadium faithful were concerned when the Chile international complained of a tight hamstring during the game.

Club manager Wenger was questioned as to why he decided not to take Sanchez off during the post-match conference. Contrary to earlier fears, the former Barcelona forward is set to feature against Norwich City this weekend.

“His style is explosive and it’s a committed style. Jamie Vardy is a bit similar — they go when they go,” the Arsenal boss said.

“They are like the lion. He has to catch the animal in the first 200 metres. If he doesn’t get there, after he’s dead.”

“They are these kind of killers. When they go, it is to kill and after they have to stop.”

Wenger praises Sanchez’s 100 percent commitment to the cause

The French coach has admitted that his star player is constantly surprising him with his eagerness to ‘commit to the cause’.

“When he does something he does it 100 per cent,’ he added.

“So he finishes and you think, 'He's dead now.' But then he recovers and gives 100 percent again, so you always see signs of exhaustion, but it's not because two days later he's fine.”

His resistance is remarkable: Wenger

For a player clocking up so many minutes for club and country, on top of the journey to compete in Chile’s World Cup qualifiers, the former Udinese man is rarely injured. Wenger has explained that this is all due to Sanchez’s mental strength.

“No, he's not been injured. We come back to that problem and the more you are injured, the more there is a chance to be injured again.”

“That's where we come back to top-level sportsmen.”

“That kind of mixture of flexibility, sense of how far can you go with the pushing, that sensitivity to how much and as well when you have to ease off on your bodyweight.”

“His resistance is remarkable. What is also remarkable is that he goes to South America, he comes back Thursday night and on Saturday he can play without a problem, even if he's jet-lagged.”

“These are not players who have the traditional academic education that we give now to the players at 15 or 16. They have a physio every day. They are more street players, not pampered.”