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Alexis Sanchez starred in Manchester United's otherwise dismal preseason outing. He looked fit, sharp and ready to shine for United this season. Even though he did not score in United’s opening fixture against Leicester, he had a pretty decent game.
He played 37 passes, sprayed the ball well, had 59 touches on the ball and also sent Lukaku through on goal once. Had the Belgian not missed a sitter, Sanchez would have picked up an assist.
However, trouble brew just before the away game at the Amex Stadium against Brighton. Sanchez picked up an injury and did not travel with the squad. Mourinho opted for the talented Martial to start in place of the Chilean, but the Frenchman did little to affect the game.
Against the pressing game of the Brighton, United missed the trickery of Alexis Sanchez. Martial put in another abject performance, as he could manage only 33 touches in the game and attempted just 20 passes before he was replaced by Fellaini, as United went on to lose 3-2.
As such, Manchester United will be desperate to have the Chilean fit and running before Tottenham visit Old Trafford on Monday Night. Since the Brighton game, Sanchez has provided an update on his fitness, stating that he is already back in training. Only time will tell if the mercurial Chilean would feature against Spurs, but here are 5 reasons why Manchester United will be needing him on Monday:
#5 His defensive tenacity
Sanchez is quite strong while tracking back and harrying the opposition defence. Since joining the Premier League, he has attempted 212 tackles and 113 interceptions. It is this aspect of his game that highly appeals to Mourinho.
Last season, Sanchez completed 21 tackles, which was more than both Rashford (14) and Martial (15). He tries to play a lot of forward passes and as a result, has a tendency to lose the ball quite often.
Unlike others, Sanchez puts his head down and rushes back to retrieve those lost balls. His return is eagerly anticipated at Old Trafford, not only because of his attacking prowess but also for his defensive contributions.
His presence enables United to be more ambitious in midfield because he will be one of the players who will track back when required. To add to his tenacity, the Chilean does not shy away from getting his hands (or legs) dirty when required. United will require all these attributes on display at Old Trafford on Monday if they are to beat Mauricio Pochettino's side.
#4 His understanding with Luke Shaw
Luke Shaw already has 4 shots this season, second only to Pogba, with 2 of those on target. He has also scored the winning goal against Leicester, a fine volley after receiving the ball from Mata.
However, Shaw could not influence the game against Brighton at all. one of the reasons for his ineffectiveness was Antony Martial’s style of play. Against Leicester, Shaw hugged the touchline and repeatedly bombed forward through the left side, causing Leicester a lot of trouble.
This was possible because Sanchez regularly cut inside from the left and gave the English youngster space to run into. Against Brighton, Martial took up the position that Shaw thrives in, causing friction between the two and rendering Shaw mostly ineffective.
When Sanchez returns to the team, Shaw should be able to stretch his legs and will be a threat through the left again. Sanchez and Shaw also regularly found each other in the Leicester game and combined well together. The Chilean even contributed in defence, tracking back from time to time and helping out Shaw.
Manchester United need Sanchez back so that Shaw can continue his progression.
#3 His passing ability
Since his debut in the Premier League, Sanchez has completed 6038 passes, averaging almost 45 passes per game. Those are high numbers for a left forward. He has 28 assists to his name during that time and has created 47 chances.
He also has completed 375 crosses. No one in the current United team come close to those numbers and that's why Sanchez is such a vital cog in the Manchester United system right now.
Last season, Sanchez played 1455 passes, the most of all forward players in the Premier League. Since joining United in January, Sanchez completed 582 passes. For the record, in the whole of last season, Martial completed 731 passes and Rashford completed 576 passes.
The former Arsenal man also had the most touches on the ball among all the forward players in the league last season – 2165. Hazard with 2010 touches was second. There are no United players in the top 20 in that list.
Sanchez completed 97 crosses in the Premier League last season, whereas Rashford and Martial could conjure 81 and 48 respectively. In addition, Sanchez attempted 29 through balls last season, second only to Kevin De Bryne in the whole of the league. His United teammate and current captain, Paul Pogba attempted 15.
Sanchez has the ability to bring his teammates into the play. He holds the ball well, switches flanks with ease and has a range of passes in his arsenal. United will need his passing abilities and his vision against Tottenham.
#2 Goals and Attacking play
Sanchez scored only 9 goals in the Premier League last season, 7 of which came for Arsenal and only 2 for United after joining them in the January window. In total, Sanchez scored 11 goals in all competitions last season, but he can be let off on the fact that he had to adapt to a contrasting style of play under Mourinho.
He did pick up 5 assists in United colours last season. Sanchez scored 72 goals in all competition during his three seasons at Arsenal, proving his goalscoring abilities. During the preseason, Sanchez started through the middle, as he chipped in with 2 goals. With a full pre-season under his belt, there are good reasons to believe that he can tear the league apart.
Speaking of statistics, since joining Arsenal in 2014, the Chilean has scored 62 goals in the premier league, including 5 from direct free kicks. He has 446 shots to his name, 171 of which were on target.
Sanchez had 88 shots last season, the 7th highest in the league. Lukaku had 86 and Pogba had 76 shots. However, in terms of shots on target, Lukaku edges the Chilean clearly, registering 43 shots on target to Sanchez’s 35.
However, none of the other players in the team come close to the Chilean, which shows the importance of Sanchez to this United team. His strong dribbling ability makes him extremely dangerous for the opponents and United has missed him badly against Brighton. United need Sanchez to return and be a goal threat immediately.
#1 Big game experience
Sanchez has played a total of 567 games in his club career, scoring 176 goals in the process. He has the experience of playing against the best in La Liga, the Champions League and also the premier league.
The Chilean has won several trophies including the LaLiga, Copa del Rey, UEFA Super Cup, FA Cup, to name a few, at Club Level. He has also won two Copa Americas with his national team Chile.
During the 2016 Copa America, Sanchez won the Golden Ball award, which is given to the best player of the tournament. He has the winner’s pedigree instilled within him and has the experience of playing against big teams. As such, United, currently short of experience and confidence, will be looking to him to provide some inspiration.
Against Spurs, for United to win, Alexis Sanchez needs to be on the field and take the initiative.
Foot Note: Last time United faced Tottenham, which was in the FA Cup Semi Final, Sanchez scored a fine headed equalizer. United ultimately won the game 2-1.
