Arsene Wenger hits back at Arsenal legend Thierry Henry amid claims of Alexis Sanchez rift
The Sky Sports pundit, who is the Gunners' record scorer, claimed their was a dressing-room rift following Arsenal's 3-2 win over Crystal Palace
ANGRY Arsene Wenger has hit back at Thierry Henry after the Arsenal legend accused Alexis Sanchez of sparking a dressing-room rift.
Wenger was furious at being questioned about the failure of Sanchez’s team-mates to celebrate his two-goal contribution in Thursday’s 3-2 victory at Crystal Palace.
And the Gunners boss fears that Sanchez’s failure to come clean about his future means he will be criticised for the rest of the season.
Wenger said: “It’s a problem when Alexis plays well and it’s a problem when he doesn’t play well. It’s unbelievable.
“You turn up, you play football and that’s it. After that you judge whether he played well or not, but some people always want it to be a problem.”
Arsenal’s record scorer Henry claimed some players deliberately snubbed Sanchez’s goal celebrations.
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Henry said: “There is a division in the team. He is asking them to come and celebrate. ‘Why are you not coming? Don’t you want to celebrate?’.
“I noticed it. Sanchez made me notice it. It was like he thought he was alone.”
Sanchez, 29, is into the final six months of his contract and will be free to negotiate with interested foreign clubs when the transfer window opens tomorrow.
Wenger will continue to select the £33million Chilean for as long as he remains at the club.
The Frenchman said: “I am not a psychologist. I don’t know what is going on in his head and whether he is with us short-term or long-term.
“From Monday he is free to go where he wants if it’s a foreign club, but that’s not my problem.
“My problem is just to win the game at West Brom.”
Midfielders Mesut Ozil and Jack Wilshere are also out of contract in the summer and have yet to agree new deals. But Wenger is increasingly confident of coming to an arrangement with Wilshere and has nothing but admiration for the way the England international has revived his career.
Wilshere, who turns 26 tomorrow, has missed more than three years of his career through injury and spent last season away from the Gunners on loan at Bournemouth.
But he has now proved his fitness and been Arsenal’s best player over this period to keep the side in contention for a top-four finish.
Wenger said: “I never gave up on Jack because I have always believed in him, but we have to give him great credit for what he has gone through.
“It’s all nicey-nicey when you are 17, super talented and everybody says you are the greatest player.
“But to come back to that level after all that he has gone through in recent years shows a special character and I have a big respect for that.
“When we play with five at the back like we did at Crystal Palace on Thursday, the system suits him well because I like to have more offensive players in midfield.
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“Where he has improved is tactically and defensively. When he wins the ball he gets you out of pressure because he has that little burst and suddenly he can open the game for you.
“His positional play is good. At the very start you have to stand in the right place and Jack does that.”
Wilshere is still determined to force his way back into England’s World Cup squad. His last cap was the defeat to Iceland at Euro 2016.
Wenger said: “I don’t think that Gareth Southgate ignores him, but when Jack gives performances like he has been doing recently it certainly gives him something to think about.”
Meanwhile, Gunners defender Sead Kolasinac says he has no need for a winter break.
The ex-Schalke full-back, 24, used to get away over Christmas and New Year in Germany.
But he said: “My body can deal with that. Physically and mentally you have to make the transition to not being at home with the family, which you are used to.”
