Even though Arsenal fans can easily disagree about the simplest thing, I think we can all agree on which of our current players is the most important. So we know, just as Arsene Wenger does, that our encouraging but also fragile hopes of finally regaining the Premier League trophy will be dealt a massive blow if Alexis Sanchez picks up an injury that rules him out of club football for any length of time.
Luckily for us the fantastic forward came through the two international games with Chile with no problem, even though the manager of Chile admitted that he was taking a risk on his fitness after Alexis limped out of our beating of Man United.
But his last game was played in South America yesterday morning and with a long haul flight back to London Alexis will not have a lot of time to rest and recover before Arsenal head to Watford on Saturday. There are bigger games coming up for the Gunners, with Everton next week the first of them, so can Wenger be a bit cautious?
I doubt it to be honest, because Alexis is such a key player and because the Premier League is such a big priority. I´m sure Wenger will rest him for the League cup game next week and will hope to be able to replace him at the weekend with Arsenal in a dominant position against Watford.
Other big players like Ozil and Cazorla are perhaps easier to drop, but with his fitness levels and the overall effect he has on the Arsenal team, Alexis has made himself a must start. I just worry that our manager will overplay the Chilean as he did with Ramsey a couple of seasons ago. And if Alexis does have to have a spell on the sidelines, what would that do to our title challenge?