Alexis Sanchez admits his frustrated outbursts on the pitch stem from Arsenal’s failure to sustain a title challenge.
The 28-year-old kept Arsenal in the hunt for a Champions League qualification spot as his double secured a 2-0 win over Sunderland on Tuesday, putting Arsene Wenger’s side within one point of fourth-place Liverpool ahead of Sunday’s final round of Premier League fixtures.
Sanchez has scored 23 of Arsenal’s 74 Premier League goals this season and provided 10 assists for his team-mates, and the Chile international feels his side are underachieving.
Asked to explain his visible on-pitch frustrations, Sanchez said: “Because sometimes when I look at the team we have and the players here… because when it comes to winning the Premier League we often lose or draw against teams at home when we are superior.
“Sometimes the frustration more than anything is about the fact we could be challenging for the Premier League title.”
Sanchez is approaching the final year of his Arsenal deal and all talks over an extension are on hold until the end of the season.
The former Barcelona forward has scored in each of Arsenal’s last three games as the club have won four games in a row, and Sanchez believes it is his team-mates’ mentality that has held them back this season.
“I’ve always said we have great players here, it’s just about having the mentality of being a great player and going out on to the pitch already thinking about winning,” he said.
“That’s what we’ve done in the last three games. We had the mentality to win at all costs and we won and we won well.”
Should Arsenal fail to qualify for the Champions League the club still have hopes of lifting the FA Cup for the third time in four years, but Sanchez remains unconvinced as to whether the trophy would represent a successful season.
“I don’t know whether it would be successful or not, but I think it would be positive to beat Chelsea in the FA Cup final,” he added. “I think the players have the desire and mentality.”
