“He is a top-quality player“, he said “and even when he is not scoring goals he works so hard for us”.
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Ranieri reverted to two strikers as he brought on Leo Ulloa, and Arsenal in turn reverted to a counter-attacking mindset, churning out half-chances by the half-dozen on the break before Sanchez settled the argument from 20 yards.
Cazorla was given room in the middle to find Walcott and the forward outpaced De Laet to roll the ball in off the post.
If not, however, or when he does pick up an injury, a suspension or is simply rested by Arsene Wenger, the manager has a big decision to make about who to replace him with. Leicester coach Claudio Ranieri was equally complimentary: “He is an unbelievable player, he can do everything, and the ball and he were born together”.
Sanchez did double his tally just prior to the hour-mark, ghosting in from the right flank to beat Leicester’s offside trap and head in past the despairing reach of Kasper Schmeichel.
There was to be no miraculous comeback this time.
It was Walcott’s 12th in his last 13 Premier League starts to further underline his status now as Arsenal’s first choice striker. The moment he was sent clear by Santi Cazorla there was never any doubt that he would level the scores. Arsene Wenger admitted yesterday that he had perhaps rushed him back too quickly since that success.
A hat-trick from Alexis Sanchez and two opportunist strikes from Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud not only inflicted the first defeat of the season on Leicester. United might be leading the race now but if Arsenal keeps playing like they did against Leicester, they could be in the race for the Premier League crown.
He has now scored in four successive Premier League games. They were finally rewarded for their efforts in the 32 minute when Alexis Sanchez put them in the lead with a shot from close range. Such (missed) chances change games.
First Jeffrey Schlupp tore forward from left-back and found himself in the box to unleash a shot that Petr Cech in the Arsenal goal palmed away.
But the Algeria winger was uncharacteristically poor today.
Sanchez struck on 33, 57 and 81 minutes after Theo Walcott’s 18th-minute equaliser had cancelled out Jamie Vardy’s opener for the hosts five minutes earlier.
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Okazaki was left wondering what on earth he had done to annoy the referee when his penalty appeals fell on deaf ears after going to ground under a challenge from Per Mertesacker.
