Alexis Sanchez goal celebration shows 'divided dressing room' at Arsenal, claims Gunners legend Thierry Henry after Chilean fumes following snub from team-mates after taking lead at Crystal Palace

  • Alexis Sanchez put Arsenal 2-1 up but only some players celebrated with him and others walked back up pitch
  • Sanchez appeared to gesture to his team-mates after scoring against Palace but he was only joined by four 
  • Chilean cut frustrated figure as some team-mates turned backs to him and refused to come when beckoned
  • Henry claimed decision to join in Sanchez's goal celebrations showed Guners dressing room divide 

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Thierry Henry claimed that Alexis Sanchez's contract rift with Arsenal was causing divisions at the club after the Chilean reacted with confusion and then anger at being snubbed by some of his team-mates during a goal celebration.

The Chilean scored to put the Gunners 2-1 up after being on the back foot, but rather than jubilant scenes, there was a muted celebration with only a few players embracing him. 

A number of his team-mates simply turned their backs and trudged back to the half-way line, which the Sky Sports pundits took to mean all is not well in the Arsenal dressing room.

Alexis Sanchez scored and wheeled away in celebration with four of his Arsenal team-mates but some ignored him

Alexis Sanchez scored and wheeled away in celebration with four of his Arsenal team-mates but some ignored him

There was a clear divide in the players who decided to celebrate taking the lead and those marching back to their own half

There was a clear divide in the players who decided to celebrate taking the lead and those marching back to their own half

Sanchez scored to put Arsenal 2-1 up after his side were on the back foot but the celebrations were notably subdued

Sanchez scored to put Arsenal 2-1 up after his side were on the back foot but the celebrations were notably subdued

Sanchez appeared totally nonplussed by the reaction, and tried to call the other players over. 


His plea were ignored and Sanchez was visibly irate as he appeared to ask Alexandre Lacazette why the other group had reacted in such a way.

Henry said on Sky Sports: 'There is a division in the team. He is asking them to come. 'Why are they not coming? Don't you want to celebrate?'.

'You're not here for Alexis Sanchez, you're here for Arsenal. Arsenal scored. Go and celebrate. Whoever does it (scores), we don't care about that, go and celebrate with your team-mate.

When he realised a number of team-mates had decided not to celebrate with him, Sanchez appeared to question why

When he realised a number of team-mates had decided not to celebrate with him, Sanchez appeared to question why

The forward even tried to beckon over those who had snubbed him but they refused to join in the celebration

The forward even tried to beckon over those who had snubbed him but they refused to join in the celebration

Sanchez spoke pointedly to the other group and appeared to be questioning their strange decision not to join in 

Sanchez spoke pointedly to the other group and appeared to be questioning their strange decision not to join in 

'Maybe we are reading too much into it but I noticed it. Sanchez made me notice it. It was like he thought he was alone.'

Fellow match analyst Graeme Souness agreed, saying: 'That tells you there is a divided dressing room. That shows they aren't having Sanchez at the moment. I only see that when teams are 5-1 up, not 2-1 up. You're elated, you've just scored a goal. It is clear there is a dynamic in the dressing room that all is not well.' 

Lacazette, Granit Xhaka, Shkodran Mustafi and Mesut Ozil were the players to run off with Sanchez and congratulate him. 

But Callum Chambers, Sead Kolasinac, Jack Wilshere, Hector Bellerin and Laurent Koscielny turned their backs despite his repeated calls over to them. 

The Chilean seemed to gesture to Alexandre Lacazette asking why the other players had snubbed him 

The Chilean seemed to gesture to Alexandre Lacazette asking why the other players had snubbed him 

The frustration then boiled over and Sanchez, who is out of contract in the summer, gestured angrily towards his team-mates

The frustration then boiled over and Sanchez, who is out of contract in the summer, gestured angrily towards his team-mates

Thierry Henry claimed that the display of disunity demonstrated a divide in the dressing room at the club 

Thierry Henry claimed that the display of disunity demonstrated a divide in the dressing room at the club 

Speculation abounds as to whether Sanchez will remain at the club and his uncertain future could be the root cause of the cold reaction to his goal. 

Manager Arsene Wenger defended Sanchez, insisting the Chilean remains fully committed to Arsenal.

When asked about Sanchez's refusal to sign a new deal, a visibly agitated Wenger said: 'Every press conference is a psychological problem. Talking about football would be better, I'm not a specialist in psychology.

'They are questioned, always, when people don't have long contracts. The best way to show they are committed is to give that kind of performance.

'This kind of Sanchez is a great football player. That's the kind of performance we want from him. Nobody knows what will happen (with Sanchez's contract).' It's difficult to speculate.

Former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry said all the players should have joined in goal celebration

Former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry said all the players should have joined in goal celebration

'It's not a guarantee of how long you stay somewhere. As long as you are somewhere, you give your best.' 

And when asked about Sanchez's refusal to sign a new deal a, visibly agitated Wenger said: 'Every press conference is a psychological problem. 'Talking about football would be better, I'm not a specialist in psychology.

'They are questioned, always, when people don't have long contracts. The best way to show they are committed is to give that kind of performance.

'This kind of Sanchez is a great football player, as we know. That's the kind of performance we want from him.

'Nobody knows what will happen really (with Sanchez contract). It's difficult to speculate. 'It's not a guarantee of how long you stay somewhere. As long as you are somewhere, you give your best.' 

Captain Laurent Koscielny was one player who did congratulate two-goal hero Sanchez

Captain Laurent Koscielny was one player who did congratulate two-goal hero Sanchez

Jack Wilshere, on his fourth consecutive league start, produced a vintage display; his pass to set-up Sanchez's crucial second particularly eye-catching.

The 25-year-old's deal expires at the end of the season, but Wenger has revealed discussions over an extension will now commence next month.

Wenger said: 'Beginning of January, it's planned. I said we would sort out his situation in December, end of December, and so I told him we want to meet and sit down.' 

Wilshere added: 'I spoke to the boss and he said he will speak to me so we will see and I'm sure it will get done.'

Sanchez thumped in Arsenal's second as his rasping shot caught out Speroni at his near post and Arsenal won 3-2

Sanchez thumped in Arsenal's second as his rasping shot caught out Speroni at his near post and Arsenal won 3-2