Arsene Wenger has been tempted to rest Alexis Sanchez - but the demands of the fixture list have held him back.

The Chile international has had a fine first season in English football, scoring 19 times in 41 appearances for the Gunners.

However, Wenger admits the 26-year-old has shown signs of tiredness recently and could be in line for a break.

"I’m tempted [to rest him] at some stage, I have been for a long time." Arsene Wenger

“He’s a bit [fatigued],” the Arsenal manager said. “Also, because he is in a position where he has scored less, he wants to force his game and then he is more included in physical battles.

“Maybe goalscoring is on his mind so he wants to do too much and he wants to force his game.

“I’m tempted [to rest him] at some stage, I have been for a long time. It’s not that he won’t let me, I will decide that!

“It’s just that every game now is so important, you always have a hesitation to do it.”