Arsène Wenger has warned the Football Federation of Chile that Alexis Sánchez could spend up to three months on the sidelines if he is risked in Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier against Uruguay.

The forward is out of Thursday night’s meeting with Colombia in Barranquilla after limping out of training earlier this week with a suspected calf tear. Sánchez has stayed with the squad in the hope that he may recover in time to face Uruguay but Wenger – who has been told the injury is actually to the 27-year-old’s hamstring – has said that would be “a suicidal decision”.

The Arsenal manager told beIN Sports: “I got a text last night [to say] that he has a hamstring injury. The team from Chile has travelled without him and they kept him to try and get him fit to play Uruguay for the second game on Tuesday night.

“I believe that with a hamstring injury we have to get access for our medical staff to the MRI scan to see what grade it is, how bad it is and make absolutely sure they don’t make any suicidal decision that could harm his future for two or three months.

“That is absolutely important. It’s a grey area between the national team and the club team and of course they look at their own results which I can understand but we have to preserve the health of Alexis Sánchez.

“He always wants to play and that’s where it is a more sensitive case because he’s always ready to play even when injured.”

Sánchez was absent for six weeks last season with a hamstring injury sustained in a 1-1 draw against Norwich City. He has scored six Premier League goals so far this season from a central role.