BSP-04 Wenger hopes end of Sanchez saga will lift Arsenal

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Wenger hopes end of Sanchez saga will lift Arsenal

LONDON, Jan 21, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Arsene Wenger insists Arsenal are ready to
go on a sustained winning streak after finally blocking out the distractions
of a turbulent transfer window.

Arsenal ended a five-match winless run by thrashing Crystal Palace 4-1 at
the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

Four goals in the first 22 minutes tore Palace to shreds as Nacho Monreal,
Alex Iwobi, Laurent Koscielny and Alexandre Lacazette got on the scoresheet.

The Gunners’ dynamic display was a well-timed rebuttal to the critics who
claimed the imminent sale of Alexis Sanchez to Manchester United would ruin
their already troubled season.

Wenger expects Chile forward Sanchez to join United in the next 48 hours,
with Henrikh Mkhitaryan ready to move in the opposite direction to Arsenal
from Old Trafford.

The Arsenal manager hopes those deals, which follow the sale of Theo
Walcott to Everton, will allow his players to focus on their performances
rather than being distracted by the transfer sagas.

“What is very difficult is for the first time in January we were losing one
of our big players,” Wenger said.

“This period creates a strange feeling in the dressing room. That is why
this transfer period in the middle of the season is difficult.”

Wenger revealed Sanchez was absent from the Arsenal squad on Saturday as he
headed to Manchester to seal a deal which has been in the making since United
out-bid Manchester City for the former Barcelona star.

“I didn’t take him because there is a question of him moving to Manchester
United and you cannot drive up north and as well play football,” Wenger said.

“I expect it to happen maybe, but I cannot announce it because in the next
48 hours it will be decided one way or the other.”

– Chastening –

Wenger refused to comment on Borussia Dortmund’s claim that Arsenal have
made a bid for their striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

The 28-year-old was left out of the squad that drew against Hertha Berlin
on Friday, which has stoked transfer speculation.

Aubameyang was the Bundesliga’s top goalscorer last season as he finished
the campaign with 31 goals and has hit 13 in 15 games so far this year.

“We are nowhere near anything with Dortmund. They are responsible for their
own statements. If we sign somebody we will announce it,” Wenger said.

It was a chastening afternoon for Palace, who have lost only twice in their
last 13 games — both defeats coming at the hands of Arsenal.

Palace boss Roy Hodgson, whose side got a consolation goal from Luka
Milivojevic in the closing stages, said he had feared the size of the defeat
would be even heavier.

“At half-time I thought we were staring down the barrel of a gun,” he said.

“I think had we not marshalled ourselves and shown the character that the
players showed in the second half and produced the work rate, it would have
been an avalanche.

“As it turns out, we not only managed to stop them scoring more goals, we
got one of our own and reduced the deficit to a minus three rather than a
minus seven or eight.”

BSS/AFP/MSY/0922 hrs