Wenger's call to bench star 'purely tactical'

LIVERPOOL - Arsene Wenger said he had no regrets at leaving Alexis Sanchez out of Arsenal's starting lineup after Saturday's 3-1 loss at Liverpool.

The Gunners manager, whose future with the club is a subject of speculation, made the surprising decision to relegate Sanchez to the bench to start the match.

The Chilean international took the pitch for the second half.

Wenger said his decision was "purely tactical" - and one he did not regret.

"I have no special regrets; the only regret is to have lost the game," said Wenger.

"Look, the thinking was that we had to go more direct. We wanted to play two players who are strong in the air, then bring Alexis Sanchez on in the second half.

"Of course, I believe in the second half it was easier for the strikers and you could see the difference in the performance of (Olivier) Giroud and (Theo) Walcott because we dominated midfield much more.

"Everybody will come to the same conclusion, but I'm strong enough and lucid enough to analyze the impact.

"I don't deny Alexis Sanchez is a great player. I bought him, I always played him and he has developed well.

"A decision like that is purely tactical. It is not easy to make, but you always have to stand up."

Liverpool led at halftime on goals by Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane, and Sanchez's introduction saw a much-improved second half from the Gunners as he set up a goal by Danny Welbeck.

Georginio Wijnaldum secured an important win for the home side with the final goal in injury-time.

Wenger would not discuss Sanchez's mood after the game, although TV pictures showed him looking disgruntled on the Arsenal bench during the first half.

"I don't think I need to go into every individual situation," said Wenger.

"What was good in the second half was the collective performance. What was bad in the first half was the collective performance. That for me is a much more rational explanation than all the rest.

"You focus on what you want. I believe for every single player it's the same. Everybody tells you you need to buy strikers and you buy them and then everybody says why don't you keep them on the pitch. It's impossible."

Liverpool's win was the perfect response to the criticism Jurgen Klopp's team took following its surprise loss at Leicester last week.

"It was good again," said Klopp. "Coming into the game we had a really hard week. I found a few words after the Leicester game

"The next day we analyzed what happened, and it was not enjoyable for me when I did it ... or for the players, when they saw it.

"But there was a point in the week that we had to finish with the Leicester game. There were so many bad individual performances.

"We are the roller coaster. Lots of ups but too many downs. Only if you are really silly do you let the bad things influence you more than the good things.

"Then I watched training again late in the week and I thought the boys showed what they are capable of.

"If you had asked me on Wednesday if we could win, I would have said no. On Thursday, I would have said maybe. But on Friday I knew we could win."

Klopp said he had expected Sanchez to play at Anfield and that his arrival at halftime caused his players an anxious five minutes as they adjusted.

Agence France-Presse

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger reacts to a decision by the referee during Saturday's 3-1 English Premier League loss to Liverpool. Dave Thompson / Ap