Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been tipped to hand star forward Alexis Sanchez extra time off at some point in the next few weeks as he looks to rest the Chilean and help himfully recharge ahead of what could be the most competitive Premier League title race in years.
According to the Daily Mail, Wenger is keen for Sanchez to avoid burnout after playing more than any other Arsenal player this season.
His inclusion against Manchester United at the weekend, Wenger admitted, was a gamble after aninjury scare combined with thedemands of his gruelling international schedule.
It remains to be seen exactly when Sanchez might be given his time off, or for how long, but initial suggestions are early December when the Gunners are wrapping up their Champions League group fixtures against Basel, or in the first week of January when the FA Cup third round is due to take place.
Sanchez has been denied a full summer of rest eversince he joined Arsenal, playing at the World Cup in 2014 as well as two Copa America tournaments in successive years since. As such, there are concerns that the 27-year-old will soon be running on an empty tank at a time when the club will need him most.
He had of course also been used to formal winter breaks prior to moving to England, with Serie A, where he played with Udinese, and La Liga, for Barcelona, both pausing for several weeks in late December and early January each year.
As well as recharging, Sanchez often used that time to return to Chile for the festive period. He continues to have close ties to his home city of Tocopilla in the north and would hand out Christmas gifts to poorlocal children during his winter break. He has also paid for football pitches to be built and has donated aid to the area in the past.
English football's packed festive calendar means he hasn't been able to return to Tocopilla for the last two years, but he might now be afforded that opportunity once more.
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