Arsene Wenger labels Alexis Sanchez 'the devil' after brace keeps Arsenal's Champions League hopes alive

• e-mail

Alexis Sanchez struck twice for Arsenal to take the battle for the top four down to the final day of the season on Sunday.

The Chilean was the matchwinner in a 2-0 win over Sunderland — despite carrying a thigh injury — and set up a final-day shootout with Liverpool.

Defending his decision to play Sanchez, Arsene Wenger said: 'Yes it looks a good decision to play him, but I felt he had something left to give. Once he is on the pitch and has the ball he becomes the devil and forgets his pain.

Alexis Sanchez celebrates after making it 2-0 to Arsenal in the win over Sunderland

'Nobody can question his desire and his quality, but if you look at his numbers, he has developed here as a player. 

'He has become a top-class player. He has not wasted his time here. Hopefully that will last for a long time.' 

Arsenal's win was played in front of thousands of empty seats owing, in part, to a supporter boycott in protest of what they perceive to be the club's demise under Wenger.

Just before kick-off there looked to be around 40,000 in the stadium. Ten minutes into the game around 5,000 more took their seats — still not a good look in a stadium with a capacity of more than 60,000, although Arsenal announced an attendance of 59,500 because of season ticket sales. 

Sanchez scored twice from close range in the second half to win it for Arsenal

Arsene Wenger described Sanchez as 'the devil' when he gets on the pitch

Wenger played down the fans' no-show, saying: 'No, I wasn't surprised. It's Tuesday night against Sunderland, who everyone expects us to beat. I didn't count the number of people in the seats.

'We do our job and I think we have shown that tonight. When you play football, you do not count how many people are sitting in the stand. 

'You play because you want to win the game and because you enjoy to play.' 

Wenger played down the number of empty seats at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night

Sunderland manager David Moyes criticised Wenger after the Arsenal boss said on Monday that certain players show a lack of effort at this point in the season. 

'I think that's an insult to footballers, I've been a player myself and I would hate anybody questioning me,' said Moyes. 'That would probably get my goat more than anything.'