Arsenal news: Alexis Sanchez playing for Chile with thigh injury would be 'suicidal', warns Arsène Wenger

The Arsenal manager is adamant that his player should be assessed by the club's medical team before Chile face Uruguay next Tuesday

Sanchez in training with Chile earlier this week (Getty)

Arsène Wenger has spoken of his concern that Chile may make a “suicidal decision” by playing Alexis Sanchez while he struggles with a hamstring injury.

The 27-year-old Arsenal forward has not travelled for his national side’s World Cup qualifier against Colombia on Thursday having sustained the problem in training.

However, Sanchez, who was originally thought to have sustained a minor thigh injury, could yet feature against Uruguay next Tuesday.

Wenger is concerned that Chile may risk exacerbating the hamstring problem by playing Sanchez through the pain barrier, and is now keen for his player to be assessed by Arsenal’s medical team as soon as possible.

“I got a text last night (to say) that he has a hamstring injury,” he told beIN Sports. “The team from Chile has travelled without him and they kept him to try and get him fit to play Uruguay for the second game on Tuesday night.

“I believe that with a hamstring injury. We have to get access for our medical staff to the MRI scan to see what grade it is, how bad it is and make absolutely sure they don’t make any suicidal decision that could harm his future for two or three months.

“That is absolutely important. It’s a grey area between the national team and the club team and of course they look at their own results which I can understand but we have to preserve the health of Alexis Sanchez.

“He always wants to play and that’s where it is a more sensitive case because he’s always ready to play even when injured.”

Sanchez missed two months of Arsenal's 2015/16 season after aggravating a hamstring problem in a 1-1 draw at Norwich City in late November.

Wenger shouldered the responsibility for risking Sanchez that day and is keen to make sure that the forward's national team do not make the same mistake.

At the age of just 27, Sanchez has already amassed 101 caps for his country. Prior to Thursday's qualifier against Colombia, the former Barcelona player had not missed a Chile match since March 2013 and has played in an international tournament every summer for the last three years.