Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, has insisted he made the right decision to leave Alexis Sanchez out of the North London derby.
The Chile international has been struggling with a hamstring injury and missed out on the Gunners 2-1 loss to their rivals last weekend.
Alexis is expected to start Tuesday’s league match at home to Leicester City and Wenger believes he will return refreshed for the rest of the campaign.
“It was difficult for him not to play against Tottenham,” the Frenchman told reporters. “If it was the last game of the season he would have played.
“He has had a bit of a winter break now – one that he didn’t really want but he got one – and I think he will now be recovered and fit until the end of the season.
“For us it is important that he has no setback as, once you go into February, if you have a muscular injury and a guy has a setback, you say ‘bye bye’ as the season is over as it is six weeks out.
“By the time you come back to your full level it is April and that is why we didn’t take the gamble by playing him at Tottenham.”
Wenger went ahead to compared the former Barcelona man to another Arsenal great, Ian Wright.
He said: “He is a bit like Ian Wright. He has the enthusiasm of Ian Wright. He is quieter than him but that is not difficult and he doesn’t get booked!
“Alexis is more with the Spanish players of course but he is loved by everybody. He is very friendly and bubbly every day.”
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