Almost a year to the day since Alexis Sanchez made his Manchester United debut, the Chilean will be hoping he can kick start his career at the club following the opening goal against those who used to adore him.
Sanchez, who joined United from Arsenal last January and made his bow for Jose Mourinho at Yeovil in the FA Cup, made just his second start under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer back at the Emirates and rewarded his new manager with the opening strike on the way to a 3-1 win.
Under Mourinho, Sanchez had continued to cut the frustrated, isolated figure which distanced him from so many in north London. But with the smiling Solskjaer having lifted the mood of seemingly everyone at Old Trafford, here was a sign his trick may have worked on the big money man who, to this point, had failed to deliver.
The man who was supposed to benefit from Sanchez’s departure the most was Mesut Ozil. The German certainly has financially but following Arsene Wenger’s exit over the summer his stock has slumped remarkably.
Ozil, having been left out of squads altogether recently, was once again left on the bench as Aaron Ramsey was, for the second game in a row, deployed in his preferred No10 role.
In Pictures | Arsenal vs Man Utd | 25/01/2019
The playmaker was introduced just after the hour mark, his first involvement since a 1-1 draw at Brighton, and could do little to turn the tide of the game. With Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford waiting to bounce on the break, the hosts could not get a hold on the ball in the United half and Ozil was unable to pull the strings and pick those passes often only he can see.
United were ruthless and, despite fading a little in the second half as he continues to work back from injury, Sanchez played a big role in that.
“Every player the more confident you get you want to get onto the pitch and train and trust yourself,” Solskjaer said of the forward.
“He can only improve and I think he knows that himself.”
As one former Arsenal star looks to begin a new life, under a new manager, the man who was supposed to thrive in the hole left at the Emirates is yet to make his mark this season.
