Arsene Wenger says Alexis Sanchez's low-key start to the season is down to fitness and not the collapse of a move to Manchester City.Sanchez is yet to complete 90 minutes in the Premier League but played the full match against Cologne in the Europa League and again saw the final whistle as Arsenal beat League One Doncaster in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night.The Chile forward was considered fit enough to start at Liverpool before the international break, but Alex Iwobi was preferred for Sunday's high-pressure game at Chelsea.
Wenger conducted his weekly press conference the morning after the Doncaster game and was asked whether his treatment of last season's top scorer was down to a change in attitude - on the part of player or manager - in the wake of the summer's events and Sanchez's refusal to sign a new contract.
"Not at all," he said. "That's going into very quick conclusions. Alexis Sanchez has been out injured and I thought he was still a bit short on Sunday physically. I played him last night to give him competition.
"I just try to get him back to full fitness, and for me the Europa League and League cup are important as well.
"I gave him a long holiday, this year he had a real rest. He came back not really fit and then he got injured. The injury plus rest time was a bit long, but last night you could see he's coming back sharp now."
