Alexis Sanchez stays behind for additional training after Arsenal's defeat to West Ham

Training Day: Sanchez gets in shape for next week's game with Crystal Palace
Eddie Keogh/Reuters
James Benge10 August 2015

Alexis Sanchez stayed behind after Arsenal’s opening loss to West Ham to continue his training, even after he had been thrown into action earlier than expected.

The Chilean forward was a surprise presence on the Arsenal bench just three days after returning to training at London Colney. As Arsene Wenger’s side struggled to break down an obdurate West Ham side the manager turned to Sanchez, who looked rusty during a 23-minute cameo.

And as his colleagues mulled over a disastrous start to their season the 26-year-old was back out on the Emirates pitch, looking to rebuild his fitness. Sanchez sprinted the length of the pitch wearing shorts and a fitness heart monitor.

With a tough trip to Selhurst Park next weekend followed by a game against Liverpool Wenger will be keen for his side’s top scorer last season to regain fitness as soon as possible.

Wenger admitted last week that he had been surprised by how fit Sanchez was when he returned from his holiday last week. However with the forward having played 76 games without much of a break since the start of the World Cup Wenger said he was keen to give him plenty of rest.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">&#13; <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Alexis Sanchez ladies and gentlemen. When everybody's gone home, he's out sprinting up and down the Emirates pitch. <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://t.co/GFCNtwa6u6" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-2424766-http://t.co/GFCNtwa6u6" data-vars-event-id="c23">pic.twitter.com/GFCNtwa6u6</a>&#13; — TA (@unarsenewenger) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/unarsenewenger/status/630395305566072832" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-2424766-https://twitter.com/unarsenewenger/status/630395305566072832" data-vars-event-id="c23">August 9, 2015</a>

"Alexis understands perfectly well. He is one of the players who played the World Cup [in 2014], came back here and played the whole season without a break, goes to the Copa America and basically cannot start the season," Wenger said.

"At some stage you need to give these players a rest or they get serious injuries."

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