Arsenal: Alexis Sanchez Body Language Lends Chelsea Hope

Alexis Sanchez was noticeably downtrodden during Arsenal’s 2-2 draw with Manchester City. Such body language lends Chelsea hope in their impending summer pursuit of the Chilean.

The performance of Arsenal was undoubtedly an improvement to their recent lethargic, lacklustre, underwhelming displays in which they looked disinterested and dejected. Manchester City are a dangerous side, capable of wonderful attacking displays where they simply blow teams off the park.

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The Gunners, though, were resolute enough for much of the game to resist such forces and, by full-time, could well have enjoyed the better of the game, having created the better chances, perhaps other than a couple of Sergio Aguero second half headers, and engineered the longer-lasting periods of pressure.

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However, while there were many positive signs that should be praised and suggest at a prosperous end to the season, there was one major cloud hanging over the side that certainly affected the performance of one individual in particularly.

Alexis Sanchez did not look interested in proceedings throughout. He lost the ball far too often, did not press high up the pitch with the same relentless intensity and allowed his shoulders to slouch as the game progressed. Cutting such a disheartened and dispirited figure have led many to suggest that this summer is the end of his time in North London. After the 2-2 draw, Arsene Wenger was presented with the concerns regarding Sanchez’s body language, to which the Arsenal manager rejected the worries, claiming that that is simply his style:

"“I felt that he gave everything today. He came back from South America, I did not see any negative body language. It’s the way he is.”"

While Wenger may protest the normality of Sanchez’s persona on Sunday, it certainly did not come across as such to the many people watching live and on TV. Perhaps the most worrying element to his behaviour, though, is the timing of it.

Amid rumours linking him with a summer move to Chelsea, through which they will look to replace Eden Hazard, who is set to be the subject of a rather substantial offer from Real Madrid, Sanchez’s body language suggests that he is pining to play football away from Arsenal, perhaps with another club in London that are wanting to win.

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The summer exit of the Sanchez is only increasing as time passes. He is visibly growing increasingly frustrated with life at the club, he is quickly becoming a calibre of player above that of the Arsenal squad and will soon be wanting to challenge for the major trophies, both domestically and on the continent. He could satisfy that want to challenge at Chelsea and that would be devastating for his current club.