Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown has described Arsene Wenger's decision to drop Alexis Sanchez against Liverpool as ''stunning''.
Keown also bemoaned a "tepid" Arsenal performance as they fell to a 3-1 defeat at Anfield, and fell to 5th in the Premier League standings.
Wenger opted to start with Olivier Giroud and leave Sanchez on the bench, before the Chilean was introduced at half-time after a disappointing first 45 minutes.
Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane gave the hosts a 2-0 lead at half-time, before Danny Welbeck gave Arsenal some hope after the break. Georginio Wijnaldum struck in injury time to complete the victory, leaving many questioning why Sanchez had not started the game.
"Stunning,"Keown said on Match of the Day - via the Daily Mail. "I really can't understand the thinking behind that, why Arsene Wenger wouldn't want to play him. He's their best player."
On Wenger's claims that Arsenal would play in a more direct manner prior to the game, Keown said: "They didn't actually do that, they kept on pressing."
Headded: 'I'm struggling to remember a more tepid Arsenal performance in the last 20 years under Arsene Wenger.
"There was a lack of spirit, of fire in their bellies. They just didn't turn up in that first-half, gave themselves far too much to do."