Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger praised the "special" Alexis Sanchez after the Chilean fought through an injury to help the Gunners beat Stoke 4-1 on Saturday and keep their top-four hopes alive.
Sanchez put the win beyond doubt with a solo goal to make it 3-1 in the 76th minute, just minutes after he had signalled to the bench that he needed to be substituted with a thigh problem. He had remained on the pitch while the Arsenal substitutes warmed up and stormed forward into the area after he picked up the ball unmarked, scoring with a deflected shot inside the far post.
Sanchez, who had set up Arsenal's second goal with a sublime pass for Mesut Ozil, then limped off shortly after.
"He asked to come off. But Alexis is special. Not only because he is a special talent, but he always finds the resources. He's a fighter. And he has shown that again today," Wenger told Sky Sports.
"I just think he has shown again that it's not only about talent, but it's as well about desire and fighting, and he has that as well."
Sanchez's goal settled Arsenal's nerves after Peter Crouch had pulled a goal back for Stoke, appearing to use his hand to deflect a cross into the net. Olivier Giroud, who had opened the scoring in the 42nd minute, then added a fourth for the Gunners as they kept the pressure on Liverpool in the race for a top-four finish.
But it was the second goal that had fans and pundits purring, as Sanchez hit a perfect through ball for Ozil to run onto, and the German lifted a delicate chip over goalkeeper Jack Butland.
"Our game is based on that [passing]. When it works, as a manager you find that natural. But of course it demands special quality, and they have it," Wenger said of his star duo.
Arsenal are now one point behind Liverpool, with both teams having two games left to play. If Liverpool drop points at West Ham on Sunday, Arsenal would secure another year of Champions League football if they beat Sunderland on Tuesday and Everton next weekend.
But Wenger didn't want to assess the team's chances of sneaking into the top four.
"I don't think like that. I think, let's do us the job and see afterwards what happens. We have 69 [points] tonight, let's go to 72 on Tuesday," he said.