Two of Arsenal’s best performers this season, Santi Cazorla and Alexis Sanchez, have a lot in common.

For a start, they are both extremely talented and key to making this Arsenal side tick.

Then there’s the love of the game that they both clearly show, happiest when they have a ball at their feet.

Speaking to the press, Santi has revealed just what it’s like to have to train with Sanchez, a player who shows just as much at London Colney in front of his teammates as he does on the Emirates pitch in front of 60,000 people.

Cazorla told Sport

“Of course, Alexis Sanchez is as intense and annoying [laughs] in training as he is on the pitch. He’s so into football that he doesn’t want training to finish.

“Sometimes the manager is calling it off because training is over and Alexis is always kind of sad, because he loves to play football. His work ethic is a really positive influence for all of us.

“He’s the best signing in the Premier League. There were plenty of good signings this summer – like Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas – but Alexis Sanchez has been huge for us.

“He’s ambitious, he wants to get better with every training session, and it was positive for him to leave Barcelona. He’s now playing with another mindset and he’s playing fantastically.”

After grabbing all three points against Crystal Palace on Saturday and moving up to third place in the league after results favoured the Gunners this weekend, Arsenal face a shift in focus to the Champions League as they welcome Monaco to the Grove.

Knowing they have the best chance of progressing to the quarter-finals of the competition for the first time since 09/10, you can count on both Santi and Sanchez to shine.