Alexis Sanchez- After a hugely controversial few weeks, which have repeatedly questioned Alexis Sanchez’s future with the club following his alleged rift with the manager and stalling of contract talks that ends next season, such a display was badly needed for the protesting fans whose hopes have been battered by first Chelsea, then Bayern Munich and Liverpool.
Sanchez started the game against the non-league side Lincoln City, which in any other scenario would have been quite unthinkable. Wenger has always maintained his principle of giving his academy products a chance in such games and his decision to go with the strongest side possible says a lot about the club’s insecurities at the moment.
And the Chilean played a big part in obliterating most of that with his amazing display. He was directly involved in three goals, which included a screamer from outside the box. Arsenal fans can only hope that the club gets things sorted out fast as they face Manchester City next in the semis.
N’Golo Kante- After Manchester United’s 4-0 humiliation at Stamford Bridge early in the season, there was no way Jose Mourinho would have repeated that. But, his tactics fell short when Ander Herrera saw a first-half red card, which pretty much ended the game. United’s primary objective was to stop Eden Hazard and Willian in the attacking third at any cost and they did that quite well.
And it was exactly then that Chelsea’s newest recruit showed why he is a prime contender for the ‘Player of the Season’. The French international was at his tenacious best, as usual, pressing United players hard to force them to make mistakes and he got his chance early in the second half when the United players didn’t bother guarding him.
And he was at his peak since then. Apart from a David Luiz blunder that almost brought United back into the game, Kante was the man of the moment. At times, he was also seen winning aerial duels against the towering Pogba.
Heung-Min Son- With Harry Kane incurring a serious injury and expected to remain sidelined for the most part of the season-end, Son’s hattrick was a huge bliss for Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino. The South Korean was at his absolute best against a side, whose fans made playing all the more difficult for him as they kept chanting racist remarks throughout the game.
The 24-year-old surely gave a fitting reply as his hat-trick helped Spurs to hammer the League One side 6-0. With a tricky fixture against Chelsea in the semis, Pochettino will be hugely banking on him.
