Wenger lauds Sanchez

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger hailed the speed of Alexis Sanchez’s adaptation to the Premier League after the Chilean forward’s last-gasp winning goal sank top-four rivals Southampton.

Sanchez, a £30 million ($47.1 million, 38.2 million euros) signing from Barcelona, netted his 14th goal of the season in the 89th minute of Wednesday’s game to earn Arsenal a 1-0 win that sent them to within two points of the Champions League spots.

Southampton’s England international goalkeeper Fraser Forster produced a string of fine saves at the Emirates Stadium, but he could not stop Sanchez’s close-range finish from Aaron Ramsey’s cross.

Sanchez, who has been the talisman for Arsenal in the opening four months of the campaign, received the accolades of his manager after his strike lifted the north London club into sixth place.

“He was one of the players who had to dig deep today (Wednesday), but he has such a desire to fight that he always finds something special to get the goal,” Wenger said.

“It’s difficult to find examples of people who have settled in so quickly. My memory is not perfect, but I can’t think of a quicker one.

“We’re in December and he arrived in July. When you look at the number of goals and the impact he has had in the team, it is fabulous.”

Wenger was on the receiving end of boos from Arsenal fans when he replaced Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain with Olivier Giroud in the 65th minute.

But the relief at Sanchez’s last-gasp strike was palpable as Arsenal maintained the momentum sparked by victory over Borussia Dortmund in Europe and nurtured by a gritty away success at West Bromwich Albion.