Tomorrow will see Alexis Sanchez will face his former team, Arsenal, for the first time since his January transfer switch to Manchester United. Arsene Wenger, who will be making his final trip to Old Trafford as Arsenal manager, says it will be a bit strange to see the Chilean on an opposing team in another shirt.
However, the Frenchman admits that the Alexis swap deal, which saw Henrikh Mkhitaryan going the other way, was a mutually beneficial deal. Wenger sees the transaction as one that was good for all involved as the 29-year-old rejected the Emirates contract extension offer, and was poised to move in the summer on a free transfer, given how his Arsenal deal was then set to expire.
“At the time he did not accept our contract offer and the best possible way where we could get something from his departure was to make an exchange for the player of the quality of Mkhitaryan. For him, it was a move to another big club,” Wenger said to the club’s official website, Arsenal.com
“Overall, both parties had interest to do what happened. Of course (it will be little bit strange to go against Alexis Sanchez). The only thing that he has not changed is the color, that’s still red.”
“It’s strange for me to see him in a different shirt because he had a strong bond with the club and of course he was here for a few years. He did extremely well for us.”
Sanchez has been unable at United, to be the same player that he was at Arsenal. He has just three goals in 14 games with the Red Devils, and he admits that the adjustment has been “difficult” to a new club that is “different” from the north London side.
However, his manager Jose Mourinho backs him to regain his fine form, giving him a public vote of confidence this week.
United FC Starting XI Prediction: go to this link
Arsenal FC Starting XI Prediction: go to this link
Injury and fitness report for both teams: go to this link
Odds via Odds Checker: United 6/13, Draw 50/13, Arsenal FC 15/2
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV and the Tribune company’s blogging community Chicago Now.
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