Arsenal could face the busy festive period without star striker Alexis Sanchez after it emerged that manager Arsene Wenger is keen to give him a winter break in an effort to prevent the Chile international suffering from burnout.

Sanchez has proven to be Arsenal’s most important player this season so far, having scored six times in the Premier League this season along with two goals in the Champions League. With their place in the last-16 for the Champions League already secured, Arsenal still have reason to deploy a full-strength team against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday as they battle the Parisian side for top spot and a supposed easier draw in the knockout stage, with Sanchez expected to lead the line once again.

The 27-year-old has been moved to a central role this season and has flourished as a result, but Wenger has already spoken of his concern that Sanchez could suffer from playing too much football in a short space of time.

According to the Daily Mail, Wenger will look to address this concern by giving Sanchez some extra time off during the winter, despite Arsenal already struggling to keep pace with Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table.

All three sides have more wins that Arsenal this season, with the Gunners drawing four of their 12 matches this season to see them slip three points behind the Blues. The latest setback saw Manchester United not only come within minutes of victory at Old Trafford on Saturday but also dominate Wenger’s side, and the Frenchman was also fortunate not to see Sanchez suffer any further injury after he returned from international duty with a hamstring knock that left him a doubt for the match until the teams were announced.

It appears that Wenger will rest Sanchez in the coming weeks in an effort to ensure that he remains fit through the crucial run of fixtures in January, February and March, although that will mean that the Gunners are without their first-choice striker heading into the festive period if Wenger decides to leave him out ahead of the new year.

Manchester United vs Arsenal player ratings Show all 22 1 /22 Manchester United vs Arsenal player ratings Manchester United vs Arsenal player ratings David de Gea - 5 A very uncharacteristic error for Mustafi’s opener, bizarrely befuddled by the bounce of the downward header. Somewhat atoned with some typically solid saves in the second half. AFP/Getty Images Manchester United vs Arsenal player ratings Eric Bailly - 6 A welcome returnee who stood up strongly at times. Could perhaps have shepherded youthful cohort Dalot outside him slightly better. Action Images via Reuters Manchester United vs Arsenal player ratings Chris Smalling - 6 Solid in the middle of the defensive three. Getty Images Manchester United vs Arsenal player ratings Marcos Rojo - 5 Regardless of whether it is his own goal or marked as Lacazette’s, a very poor error to allow the Frenchman the chance. REUTERS Manchester United vs Arsenal player ratings Diogo Dalot - 5 Very little impact on the game. One particularly lacklustre moment getting forward from right back but looking lost with so much time, wasting a chance to cross. Sead Kolasinac had some joy down Dalot’s channel. Getty Images Manchester United vs Arsenal player ratings Ander Herrera - 6 Showed alertness to retrieve and cut back for Martial to score, though could have been flagged offside. Combative otherwise. Action Images via Reuters Manchester United vs Arsenal player ratings Nemanja Matic - 7 Broke up play well and set the tone for Manchester United’s performance. A good showing. AFP/Getty Images Manchester United vs Arsenal player ratings Matteo Darmian - 6 Little of note either way. He and Bellerin seemed to cancel each other out, rather. EPA Manchester United vs Arsenal player ratings Jesse Lingard - 6 Took his goal nicely. Quiet elsewhere on a scrappy night. AFP/Getty Images Manchester United vs Arsenal player ratings Anthony Martial - 7 A birthday goal after following up a free kick well, before trudging off injured just after the hour mark. EPA Manchester United vs Arsenal player ratings Marcus Rashford - 6 Hit his free kick nicely to force Leno into the initial save EPA Manchester United vs Arsenal player ratings Bernd Leno - 5 Leno could perhaps have done better with Rashford’s free kick in the lead up to Martial’s leveller, and didn’t cover himself in glory for Lingard’s either. Getty Images Manchester United vs Arsenal player ratings Shkodran Mustafi - 6 A decent header down into the ground for his goal, though a huge helping hand from David De Gea. PA Manchester United vs Arsenal player ratings Sokratis Papastathopoulos - 6 Stout defensively for much of the 90 minutes. EPA Manchester United vs Arsenal player ratings Rob Holding - 5 Stretchered off after 36 minutes with a serious looking injury. Having found some form, a real shame for Arsenal. REUTERS Manchester United vs Arsenal player ratings Hector Bellerin - 6 As mentioned in Darmian’s rating, rather cancelled out. One sliced effort from the edge of the box. AFP/Getty Images Manchester United vs Arsenal player ratings Lucas Torreira - 6 Another spiky performance in midfield. He’s certainly added some much-needed bite, but ought to be careful not to go too far with his destructive duties. AFP Manchester United vs Arsenal player ratings Matteo Guendouzi - 6 Put himself about with energy and physicality. Not as accomplished a performance as we have seen from the young Frenchman, though not overawed by the big occasion by any means. Action Images via Reuters Manchester United vs Arsenal player ratings Lead Kolasinac - 5 An error to allow Lingard to equalise, and consistently wasteful despite often being the extra man over down Arsenal’s left. AP Manchester United vs Arsenal player ratings Aaron Ramsey - 6 Substituted at half time despite bravely trying to continue in real discomfort at the end of the first half. PA Manchester United vs Arsenal player ratings Alex Iwobi - 5 Missing the cutting edge. Plenty of graft, little to show for it. PA Manchester United vs Arsenal player ratings Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - 6 Aubameyang will rue missing a good chance from close range in the second half flurry of action. AFP/Getty Images

However, should Arsenal beat PSG on Wednesday, they will secure top spot in Group A with a game to spare, and it would mean that Wenger could leave Sanchez at home when the rest of the side travels to Basel for their final group game on 6 December. With Sanchez also unlikely to play in the EFL Cup quarter-final against Southampton next week, it would mean that the Chilean would play four matches in the next three weeks, although that would be followed by three matches in the space of eight days as they take on Stoke, Everton and Manchester City in a pivotal week of Premier League action.

Loading....