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Alexis Sanchez scored against his old club as Manchester United won their eighth match in a row in all competitions under caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to knock Arsenal out of the 2019 FA Cup on Friday.
United sent the Gunners packing from the fourth round after leaving the Emirates Stadium with a 3-1 win, thanks to goals from Sanchez, Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial.
Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang got on the scoresheet for the disappointing Gunners, who lost starting centre-backs Laurent Koscielny and Sokratis Papastathopoulos to injury during the game.
Alexis Sanchez Belongs in United’s Best XI
Alexis Sanchez has been close to anonymous since swapping Arsenal for United and a bumper contract last January. He couldn’t convince Jose Mourinho of his worth, and it says a lot about how far the Chilean has fallen that Solskjaer has started Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial ahead of him for league games.
Solskjaer may want to think again, though, after Sanchez used cup duty to prove he belongs in United’s best XI. The South American forward took the opening goal brilliantly, rounding Petr Cech with typical skill before deftly finishing from a rapidly narrowing angle.
More than the finish, the goal highlighted the most important quality Sanchez brings to the United attack. Namely, perceptive movement.
Sanchez ghosted from out to in to receive a pass from Romelu Lukaku, the man whose place he’d taken in the middle of the forward line.
This type of run and rotation of positions makes United more fluid and less predictable in attack. Sanchez has mastered the art of such runs, thanks to excellent timing and a natural instinct for where gaps will appear.
Aside from his movement, the 30-year-old has the pace, flair and trickery to produce magic at any moment. His attempts to conjure said magic left Arsenal chasing shadows during the first half:
Squawka Football @Squawka
Alexis Sanchez completed more take-ons in the first half (2) than the whole of the Arsenal side combined (1).
Not a bad showing on his return to his former stomping ground.
https://t.co/E3Lf1xMJxz
He was substituted with less than 20 minutes left, but Sanchez had done enough to show Solskjaer he must start United’s highest-earner more often.
Alexandre Lacazette Too Inconsistent to Fire Arsenal into Top 4
While Aubameyang scored, Alexandre Lacazette toiled without end product against United. The Frenchman showed he’s too inconsistent to fire Arsenal to a top-four finish and a place in next season’s UEFA Champions League.
Emery has put his faith in Lacazette to lead the line for big matches recently. It’s even meant shifting Aubameyang, who has 17 goals in all competitions to his credit, out wide.
Lacazette simply isn’t justifying moving Arsenal’s best goalscorer out of the areas where he does the most damage. Instead, his touch, passing range and movement were all below par against the Red Devils.
Lacazette struggled to connect with team-mates or to hold the ball up whenever the Gunners connected with their main striker.
darrenbyfield @darrenbyfield
Never mind practicing dance celebrations after training , Lacazette and Aubameyang need to learn how to hold a ball up
His shaky performance was a far cry from the scintillating effort the former Lyon star produced during the recent 2-0 win over Chelsea in the Premier League. Lacazette scored the opener in spectacular fashion and led the line brilliantly.
Yet for every wonder strike, Lacazette has an equal number of days where he looks incapable of finding the net.
Coral @Coral
Lacazette now trying to score via every means necessary, including punching the ball into the net.
The truth is the 27-year-old is a scorer of great goals rather than a great goalscorer. Nor is he a complete striker who will make the ball stick and link the play the way Arsenal head coach Unai Emery needs him to.
Emery should stick to using Lacazette and his ability to improvise his way to sudden brilliance, as an impact substitute. In the meantime, Aubameyang must be allowed to be the focal point up top.
The latter is the only striker prolific enough to help mask the Gunners’ defensive frailties.
What’s Next?
Both clubs are in Premier League action on Tuesday night, with Arsenal hosting Cardiff City and United welcoming Burnley to Old Trafford.
from Viral News Show http://bit.ly/2UeZvmf
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