Make-or-break season for Alexis Sanchez as Man United need him to fire

Aditya Devavrat 17:33 19/08/2018
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  • Sanchez has been a disastrous signing for United.

    This is supposed to be Alexis Sanchez‘s season.

    He had his first full summer break since the World Cup 2014, thanks to Chile’s failure to qualify for this summer’s tournament. He also had his first pre-season with his new club, having joined Manchester United from Arsenal in January. Both of these were indicators that he’d improve upon his poor first few months at United.

    But Sanchez’s performance in his team’s season opener last Friday against Leicester City left a lot to be desired.

    It was a familiar tale of running hard, trying to pull off the spectacular, but looking disjointed next to team-mates who are no longer new faces to him. As one would expect from Sanchez, there were a few moments of quality, but by and large, United’s attacks died when the ball found its way to the Chilean, with misplaced passes and poor crosses the norm.

    It wasn’t an all-out poor display, he created four chances – more than anyone else. But it just wasn’t the brilliance people expect from Sanchez. And that’s been the story of his time at United.

    So far, in 19 appearances, he’s scored three goals and provided five assists. It’s a rate of contribution that would see most players dropped, and it’s certainly far below what manager Jose Mourinho would have expected when immediately making him a starting XI player upon arrival.

    Sanchez earned that spot through the pedigree of his Premier League success. He’s one season removed from scoring 24 league goals for Arsenal.

    If he can be that player in this United team, all questions about whether they can close the gap to reigning champions Manchester City will be gone.

    And therein lies the Catch-22 with Sanchez. United don’t need 24 goals from him, but they do need him to hit that level of performance in order to be title contenders.

    Based on his current form, however, they’ll struggle to earn that tag.

    That’s why this season is so crucial for the former Udinese and Barcelona man. At 29, he should be at his peak – especially considering the extended rest this summer.

    He’s an established star in England, the sort of player who could drag Arsenal to top-four finishes, at times seemingly by sheer force of willpower.

    The hope for both United, who landed him, and City, who were competing for his signature, was that adding a player like that to a better side would mean aiding a title push instead of just about pulling his team into fourth place.

    Instead, Sanchez has struggled to build an understanding with Romelu Lukaku – the player who is expected to produce that 20-goal output – and, most crucially, Paul Pogba. Sanchez’s tendency to drop deep in search of the ball at times puts him in the exact same positions Pogba likes taking up, both with and without the ball, and at the moment that is resulting in a clash of styles.

    The more the two play together, the more they’ll learn how to be excellent foils for each other while servicing Lukaku with the assistance he needs. Together, Sanchez, Pogba, and Lukaku make a trio that can be the axis of a title-winning trio.

    Sanchez should be a guiding force for the two younger members of that trident. The ability he’s shown to take a game by the scruff of its neck consistently is something both Pogba and Lukaku can learn. But for that to happen, he needs to show that ability in United colours on a regular basis.

    If he does that, he’ll win over the fans, as well. United supporters were obviously excited when Sanchez arrived, especially given the added needle of him having chosen to come to Old Trafford rather than play for noisy neighbours City.

    And just as obviously, they want him to do well.

    But they haven’t quite warmed to him, because he hasn’t delivered up to expectations, instead producing frustrating display after frustrating display. That he’s keeping out Anthony Martial, a darling of the United faithful, from the starting XI hasn’t endeared him to his new fans either.

    He needs to start delivering immediately to win their support.

    There’s a chance Sanchez misses Sunday’s game against Brighton – he didn’t travel with the squad on Saturday.

    In which case, the crucial fixture against Tottenham, looming large as United’s first big game of the season, is the stage where he can begin to repay the faith his manager has in him.

    All will be forgiven if he finds top form. But Sanchez is already at the stage where that’s a make-or-break proposition.

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