Alexis Sanchez was hailed as a “fighter and a quality talent player” by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger after inspiring the club to a 3-0 Premier League win over basement club Burnley.
Sanchez scored twice, either side of Calum Chambers finding the back of the net, as the hosts finally broke Burnley’s stubborn resistance with three goals inside the final 20 minutes at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
Rounding off a good day for Arsenal was the sight of England winger Theo Walcott returning to top-flight football for the first time since suffering a cruciate ligament injury in January.
However, this result rested on Sanchez, who has now scored 10 goals in 16 appearances for Arsenal since joining the north London club in a £30 million (Dh176.2m) pre-season move from Barcelona.
Sanchez’s determination and force defined the game, and decided it.
The nature of his 70th-minute goal that broke the deadlock was that of an old-fashioned British No 9, and not what would usually be associated with a player as sleek as the Chilean.
But it was precisely the type of finish Wenger was talking about on Friday when the veteran French manager said Europe was no longer producing “street footballers” of Sanchez’s type.
Sanchez brilliantly got between and above the more physically imposing Kieran Trippier and Michael Duff, to impressively head home Arsenal’s opening goal.
It was a fine finish, and one that also finished 70 minutes of pure frustration. Burnley had been so bullishly defiant, which made Sanchez’s brute force all the more crucial.
“I think we had about 30 crosses today and for a while couldn’t win every header but in the end he got there,” Wenger said.
“The header he scored is more the result of the determination and desire than doing something special technically. He has the attributes of a fighter, and a quality, talent player.
“Since he has played through the middle, he looks more goal dangerous because he is in full confidence, is physically strong, likes to take people on as well and makes good runs,” Wenger explained.
Within minutes of Sanchez’s first goal, Chambers made it 2-0 from a close-range finish, before the Chilean scored from a similar distance just before the end.
At 2-0 up, Arsenal were sufficiently comfortable to bring Walcott on after 10 months out.
“We could give him 12 minutes today, when the game was nearly won,” Wenger said. “We could see in his decision-making, his movement is good. He needs now to get used to competition.”
Wenger was just as impressed with the patience Arsenal showed in the face of Burnley’s defiance, and the fact they kept a second successive clean sheet following last week’s 2-0 win away to Sunderland, where Sanchez scored both goals.
“We look a bit more balanced between offence and defence, and less in trouble when we lose the ball,” said Wenger.
“Overall, it was a very satisfying win. For the confidence of the team, it was important to win without conceding a goal,” added Wenger, whose side went level on points with third-placed champions Manchester City ahead of Sunday’s Manchester derby.
Burnley manager Sean Dyche was also left in admiration of Sanchez, saying: “His movement and energy was incredible. He was non-stop, forget about his quality, his determination was excellent.
“I have told my strikers to look at how he played and take heed.”
Defeat left Burnley still searching for their first league win since promotion but Dyche said it was asking a lot of his side to break their duck against teams of Arsenal’s quality.
“I think we’ve played six of the top 10 (clubs) so far.
“With all due respect, we’re not prepared for that. I always plan to win, but there are teams more in our market than others.
“I’m not naive. We have to get results, but there has to be reality in our journey.”
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Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Know your camel milk:
Flavour: Similar to goat’s milk, although less pungent. Vaguely sweet with a subtle, salty aftertaste.
Texture: Smooth and creamy, with a slightly thinner consistency than cow’s milk.
Use it: In your morning coffee, to add flavour to homemade ice cream and milk-heavy desserts, smoothies, spiced camel-milk hot chocolate.
Goes well with: chocolate and caramel, saffron, cardamom and cloves. Also works well with honey and dates.
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
MATCH INFO
Europa League semi-final, second leg
Atletico Madrid (1) v Arsenal (1)
Where: Wanda Metropolitano
When: Thursday, May 3
Live: On BeIN Sports HD
Sam Smith
Where: du Arena, Abu Dhabi
When: Saturday November 24
Rating: 4/5
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
