Alexis Sanchez Negatively Compared to Luis Suarez amid Arsenal Unrest Rumours

Alexis Sanchez "will be seriously questioning whether he made the right move in the summer" in which he exchanged Barcelona for Arsenal, according to Rik Sharma of Spanish publication Sport.

Sharma believes the Gunners' embarrassing 3-1 loss to Monaco, combined with the Blaugrana's 2-1 victory over Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League round of 16, should be viewed as a "vindication of Barcelona's summer transfer business."

This, of course, refers to the Catalan club cashing in on Sanchez and purchasing Luis Suarez. The Uruguayan notched a lethal brace in the Etihad win, feeding off Lionel Messi's ability to suck City players toward his position with driving forward runs. Suarez is "proving his critics wrong," according to Sharma.

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Both of Suarez's goals are highlighted below:

Sharma believes Sanchez's continued hard work for little reward underlines the "downgrade in calibre" he made prior to the start of the season.

Sanchez has never been one to shy away from the less glamorous side of the game; he covers the width of the pitch when trying to win the ball back and often pushes the team upfield with the ball at his feet. Even so, in comparison to his Barca days, he is working overtime for less reward at the Emirates. Sharma asks, "Would he rather drive a faulty, patched-up car himself, or take a ride in a limousine?"

The Chilean's rise in activity across the pitch is highlighted by his recent statistics, noted below:

Barcelona: 13-14 (La Liga)	Stat	Arsenal: 14-15 (Premier League)
	Averages per match
27 (7)	Appearances	22 (1)
2401	Minutes Played	1920
19	Goals	12
10	Assists	7
3	Yellow cards	3
0	Red cards	0
79.7%	Pass completion	76.5%
1.1	Dribbles completed	3.4
1.3	Times dispossessed	3.3
1.6	Fouls suffered	2.2
1.7	Tackles	2
0.4	Interceptions	1
1	Fouls committed	1.4
1.9	Shots	3.2
0.7	Offsides	0.2

While Barcelona demand ruthless efficiency—misplacing a simple pass can yield annoyance at the Camp Nou—poorly performing stars are perhaps less noticeable when the likes of Messi, Neymar and Suarez are ripping through defences. Because Sanchez is a special player at Arsenal, he stands out.

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The Gunners are currently third in the Premier League, just two points away from dropping out of the Champions League places, and now face a great task to overturn the deficit conceded against Monaco. Arsene Wenger's side is not guaranteed to compete for trophies like Barca, who are often in the conversation when it comes to continental or Spanish silverware.

As such, Sharma suggests that "nobody would blame Alexis for wishing he had been involved the night before," a reference to Barca's destruction of the Premier League champions.

In November, Daily Mirror writer John Cross indicated Arsenal risk losing Sanchez to "a club which can offer him success." This came shortly after the side lost to Swansea City and threw away a 3-0 lead against Anderlecht. Just under four months down the line, little appears to have improved.

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Chilean newspaper La Tercera previously claimed Sanchez is "unhappy" at the club (h/t Charles Perrin of the Daily Express). It seems unlikely a player of his style—he appears committed and willing to take on a leading role—would consider exiting so soon, but repeated failures could eventually force his hand.

Sanchez is a gem of a player, someone who possesses a unique combination of flair and industry. While Suarez has struggled to consistently impress at Barca, clinical performances like the one he produced against City highlight the out-and-out goalscoring presence Luis Enrique's team desires.

He hasn't outperformed Sanchez across the entire season, but his double in a crucial match—combined with a misfiring Gunners display—will have many suggesting he is the better long-term investment.

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Arsenal fans may be suffering with a feeling of familiarity. World-class players such as Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri and Robin van Persie have all departed the club due to a lack of silverware in recent times. With yet another limp season threatening to take place, one has to wonder whether Sanchez will eventually follow suit.