Alexis Sanchez gives record-equalling Wenger victory

TIL Desk Sports/Alexis Sanchez scored twice in four second half minutes to give Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger victory on the night he equalled Alex Ferguson’s Premier League record of matches in charge with a 3-2 win over Crystal Palace.

Sanchez’s brace yesterday — the second a beauty from Jack Wilshere’s superb pass — added to Shkodran Mustafi’s first ever away goal for the Gunners was just enough to get them past the Eagles in Wenger’s 810th Premier League game as a manager.

James Tomkins’s 89th minute header — Andros Townsend had drawn them level at 1-1 early in the second-half before Sanchez’s scoring burst — ensured a nervy finish, but the Gunners deserved to run out winners and end Palace’s eight- game unbeaten run.

Arsenal drew level with fourth-placed north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur but with a worse goal difference whilst Palace remain firmly embroiled in a battle against relegation just a point above the bottom three.

Palace were able to apply some pressure during the opening stages, the closest they came to testing Petr Cech came when Yohan Cabaye shot narrowly wide from 20 yards out. Wenger’s side gradually took charge and they forced the breakthrough in the 24th minute when Palace’s failure to clear Mesut Ozil’s free-kick eventually led to Mustafi’s opening goal.