Alexis Sanchez was dropped for Arsenal’s 3-1 defeat at Liverpool on Saturday, with manager Arsene Wenger suggesting that it was a tactical switch which saw the 28-year-old lose his place in the side.

However, it has emerged that one potential reason for the Chilean’s withdrawal from the starting eleven was a training ground row with some of the other Gunners players, with it reported that the forward was confronted by some of his teammates on return to the changing rooms.

Manager Wenger has this afternoon vehemently denied any training ground bust-ups involving Sanchez, but it adds further doubt into the developing story about whether the Chilean will sign a new deal at the Emirates Stadium, or potentially leave in the summer.

And Arsenal will certainly be hoping for the former given that the 28-year-old has netted 17 goals and laid on nine assists in the Premier League this term, which means that he has been directly involved in more goals than any other player in the top-flight this season.

On occasion, it has been Sanchez who has single-handedly won games for Wenger’s side this term, and here are THREE matches in which the Chilean’s brilliance, goals, and overall attacking flair have won games for Arsenal this season…

Arsenal 2-0 FC Basel

This may have been one of the few games in which Sanchez hasn’t scored this season, but his contributions and forward play in this match inspired the Gunners to a key Champions League victory.

Having drawn 1-1 with Paris Saint-Germain in their first group game, Basel posed a threat and given their recent record against English sides, this was a potential banana skin for Arsenal.

However, Sanchez laid on the assists for both of Theo Walcott’s goals as Wenger’s men cruised to a 2-0 success to state their intent in Group A, a group they would eventually go on to win.

Chile international Sanchez was outstanding that night, and it’s plausible that without his attacking flair and quality final ball, the Gunners may not have got the win that evening.

West Ham 1-5 Arsenal

Sanchez scored a brace against Bournemouth a week before Arsenal’s visit to the London Stadium, and he continued his excellent form with a sensational hat-trick in a 5-1 victory for the Gunners over West Ham.

His pace and unselfish play set up Mesut Ozil for the opener before the Chilean’s brilliant solo effort, in which he effortlessly breezed through the Hammers defence, secured the points for Wenger’s men 18 minutes from time.

However, the best was yet to come, with Sanchez’s second an excellent snap-shot from the edge of the box, while the goal to complete his hat-trick was arguably the best, as he motored away from Winston Reid before reaching the edge of the box, where he waited for goalkeeper Darren Randolph to hit the deck, before then exquisitely dinking it over the Hammers shot-stopper.

Sanchez was absolutely majestic that day, and underlined his importance to this Arsenal side with a faultless display at the London Stadium.

Arsenal 2-0 Hull City

This was one of those games where Arsenal needed their best players to stand up, and fortunately for them, Sanchez did just that.

The Chilean was a constant menace throughout proceedings, and hit the bar alongside his two strikes which secured the Gunners a much-needed three points after back-to-back defeats to Chelsea and Watford.

His first was controversial, as he appeared to handle the ball when it cannoned off of him into the net, although he was in the right place at the right time for it to happen, while his second was a calm penalty late on to seal the victory.

The 28-year-old wasn’t at his absolute best, but it was his goals, composure, and nous to be in the right place at the right time which won the game for Arsenal on what looked set to be another frustrating afternoon for the Gunners.