Alexis Sanchez faces a fitness battle to face Sunderland as Arsene Wenger insisted Arsenal will not give up on finishing in the top four.

Sanchez will have a fitness test today but wants to play the final two Premier League games with Arsenal now needing Liverpool and Manchester City to slip up.

But Wenger admitted that Sanchez is desperate to play despite getting a thigh injury in the win at Stoke and hailed the Chile forward as a “special player.”

Gunners boss Wenger, who also has a worry over Laurent Koscielny, said: “Alexis Sanchez will have a test today. Yesterday it didn’t look too good, but with him you never know. He’s so keen. Maybe it was just a kick. It could be a possibility that he recovers for tomorrow.

“At the start, Alexis was a player mainly focused on scoring goals. He developed his assist potential with us very well and now he plays in a position where he can provide as well as score.

Sanchez celebrates against Stoke (
Image:
REUTERS)

“He’s become a complete player and has developed very well here at Arsenal Football Club. Of course, it’s an exceptional achievement and I would like to say that, to score and provide in double figures, you need to be a special player.”

Wenger says Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will not play either of the last two league games because of a hamstring problem but has an “80 per cent chance” of making the FA Cup final.

“We have a little problem with Koscielny from Stoke. We’ll see how he has recovered today. Everybody else should be available. I left Gibbs behind on Saturday but he is available again. Oxlade-Chamberlain is still out,” said Wenger.

“The earliest chance he has is to be available for the cup final. I would say it’s 80:20.”

Wenger was downbeat after Liverpool’s win at West Ham left Arsenal needing snookers but the Frenchman insisted it would not be a disaster if they miss out on the top four.

Laurent Koscielny is an injury doubt (
Image:
Getty)

But Wenger hinted at some bitterness towards West Ham’s display against Liverpool by suggesting some teams were on holiday already.

He added: “Our chances depend on winning our games. We have 69 points, we can get to 75. That will be four points more than last year, so let’s focus on finishing as well as we can. We have created a momentum again. We had a difficult period and we recovered from it. The only chance we have to be in the top four is to win our games.

“A big ask is to always win and that’s always difficult. We are mathematically, and it doesn’t only depend on us. The only influence we can have is to win our games.

“Some teams turn up, some teams are on holiday. It’s very difficult to plan .You just want your team to do well and to focus completely until the last. I think to be professional is to do your job properly until the last second of the season.

“I started the season to win the Premier League and when you don’t do it, you’re never completely satisfied, like everybody else. But as well, it’s not disastrous.

“I think what’s encouraging is the way the team develops recently and the way the ambition of the team is back. Overall I think it’s difficult to get points in this league, it’s difficult for everybody.”

poll loading

Will Arsenal finish in the top four?

6000+ VOTES SO FAR