Alexis Sanchez scored twice and missed a penalty as Arsenal secured a 4-1 Premier League win against 10-man Hull City at the KCOM Stadium.
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Sanchez missed the penalty but the damage had been done, Theo Walcott rewarding the Gunners’ numerical advantage with a second early in the second half.
Keown was pleased to see Xhaka make his case to Wenger with a goal and believes the Switzerland global may be the player Arsenal have been looking for for some time.
The ball was played wide to Theo Walcott, who was risky throughout back in the starting lineup, and then Theo whipped in a low cross that found its way through to Alex Iwobi after Eldin Jakupovic poorly parried away the ball in.
But Hull’s hope was short lived as another from Sanchez and a thunderbolt fourth from Granit Xhaka completed the job.
Iwobi wheeled away to celebrate giving his side the lead and the goal was initially accredited to him before being awarded to Sanchez a few minutes later. Concentration and the mental side of the game are going to be important, but we also have to play in the game as well because we’re not going out there just to accept what Arsenal want to throw at us.
It did not have too much bearing on the final result at the KCOM Stadium but Wenger has said he will re-establish a clear pecking order.
The two new signings Lucas Perez and Shkodran Mustafi were both – perhaps understandably – a little offbeat against the Saints last week, while the latter looked very nervous in Paris mid-week, often being bailed out by his defensive partner Laurent Koscielny.
“Santi was down to take it”, he told the BBC.
“He can break the lines with a pass and individually as well, so there’s a lot in the locker”.
“We lost our first game; you go a bit for stablity”.
Wenger’s comments after the game suggest that the Arsenal boss was not impressed with Sanchez’s actions and that he will not be charged with taking the club’s penalties in future with that responsibility likely to revert back to Cazorla.
The 23-year-old has started Arsenal’s last two games on the bench with Santi Cazorla and Francis Coquelin playing in central midfield, but Wenger has indicated the Switzerland global could play farther forward.
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“It was a good three points”, Coquelin said.
