ALEXIS SANCHEZ cannot give a quiet performance. He cannot be dull. He never stops believing he will be the hero. Arsenal were more than thankful for that truth yesterday as the all-action star from Chile guided them to another FA Cup victory.
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| Sanchez scored Arsenal's winner against in Burnley to reach the fifth-round of the FA Cup |
His gorgeous goal just after half time settled nerves in the crowd, and ensured that a Gunners’ team mostly going through the motions could carry on dreaming of an historic hat-trick of Cup triumphs.
Sanchez is a manager’s dream - and his return from nine weeks out with injury can only increase belief that Arsenal can be credible challengers in both the Premier League and FA Cup.
“He took his goal really well,” said Gunners’ veteran boss Arsene Wenger of a player he knows is a vital influence.
“He looked sharp and physically fit after his long rest. It has been a good winter break for him,” added Wenger with a hint of a smile, but also the knowledge that having a supercharged superstar for the rest of the season is a big bonus.
Arsenal had taken the lead first in the 19th minute. It was superbly engineered, yet out of keeping with an otherwise lacklustre display in the first half.
The finish was a delight; full-back Calum Chambers shooting first time with the outside of his right foot and curling the ball into the top corner.
What made it even better was the build-up - a passage of patience and probing, with perhaps 40 passes back and across the field before Sanchez (who else?) delivered the opportunity to Chambers.
The Gunners appeared content to play within themselves, doing just enough rather than bursting with intensity.
You could understand that with Francis Coquelin playing his first match for two months after injury, and newcomer Mohamed Elneny starting cautiously in his first match for the club. The lethargy of Olivier Giroud had little obvious explanation.
Whatever the cause, it was certainly a dangerous approach against opponents flying high in Championship.
Arsenal keeper David Ospina had made an early save to deny Burnley’s bustling striker Andre Gray, and there was little surprise when the visitors equalised on the half hour. It summed up the sloppy mood of Wenger’s side.
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| Sanchez helped Arsenal to overcome a resilient Burnley |
They dismally failed to clear a routine corner and when full-back Tendayi Darikwa crossed from the right Sam Vokes climbed far higher than the static home defenders to head into goal.
Half-time surely brought stern words from Wenger, and there was more urgency after the break.
The winning goal came in the 53rd minute from one of the few thrilling moves of the match, a sweeping attack that began in Arsenal’s own penalty area.
Swift passes put Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain clear on the right flank and he placed a precise cut back that Sanchez steered into the net with pure class.
Arsenal might have scored a few more, but were denied by dogged resistance from Burnley. Captain for the day Laurent Koscielny thought he had scored at a corner, but Scott Arfield headed off the line.
Burnley keeper Tom Heaton made a flying save to keep out a free-kick from Sanchez, and also pushed away a piledriver from Elneny.
The result, though, was never in doubt and many thousands of Arsenal fans left long before the final whistle. They know full well when a team is far from at full stretch, and when there is a crucial lack of tension in the occasion.
They did not see substitute Theo Walcott fail to score in stoppage time when running clear at goal from halfway line.
But the home supporters were happy enough anyhow - one step closer to Wembley.
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