Phil Neville: Chelsea targeted Arsenal star Sanchez

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Former Manchester United defender Phil Neville believes Chelsea targeted Alexis Sanchez so often because they saw him as a threat.

Former Premier League winner Phil Neville believes Chelsea were sent out to frustrate Arsenal attacker Alexis Sanchez because Jose Mourinho saw him as a threat.

‘You might think Chelsea were not playing by the rules,’ said Neville. ‘But, actually, they were – which is why a lot of things that were happening at Stamford Bridge were not being given as fouls.

‘It is more like gamesmanship, and I would describe it as being cute and clever rather than cheating.

‘Alexis Sanchez often seemed to be the man who would get a nudge and I think Chelsea targeted him a little bit, because they obviously saw him as a threat.

‘They got men around him and, if one was jockeying for the ball, then another was tackling him or pushing him off the ball.’

Sanchez, who has had a hit-and-miss start to life at the Emirates, arguably came up against his biggest test of the season in Ivanovic and really struggled to get much, if anything at all, out of him. The Serbian was really that good.

However, as Neville said, Chelsea obviously had a watchful eye on the Chilean international and ensured that his impact on the game was minimised. Although, the Blues didn’t confine that tactic to Sanchez and utilised it all-round the pitch to their advantage.

The former Champions League winner added: ‘Chelsea did it with the entire Gunners team, not just an individual. It was definitely a Mourinho tactic to disrupt their rhythm and upset them.

‘I have seen it happen before – the great Manchester United team that I was part of in the late 1990s and early 2000s used it as a tactic against Arsenal.

‘We would harass them, let them know they were in a game and never let them have an easy time. It still seems to work now.

‘It’s always been a weakness of Arsene Wenger’s teams. They do not like physical contact and they do not seem to be able to handle it.’

The point made by Neville, regarding Arsenal’s weakness of defending physicality, is an interesting one and one that is often brought up after a failure to win a game against a fellow title challenger.

Arsenal, when they play the lesser teams in the division, often look dazzling with their quick passing, movement and sharpness and it’s often too much for teams to handle. However, when they come up against a rival team with just as much quality, they’re often undone by their inability to break those teams down and their inability to match them man-for-man.

It’s certainly something the manager needs to work on, and the majority could argue that all Wenger needs is a ‘plan B’ when ‘plan A’ isn’t working – but is it that simple?