Although it feels as if Arsenal fans have been at the end of their tether with Alexis Sanchez for a few months, the Southampton match appeared to push many over the edge. Here’s why.

Alexis’ display against Southampton was poor. For around 75 of the 90 minutes he was wasteful and he gave the ball away 32 times. The only time an Arsenal player has given it away more this season was Alexis against Manchester United last weekend.

Alexis Sanchez lost possession 32 times today. Two short of the most by an Arsenal player in a single game this season which was Alexis (34) v Man Utd.

— Orbinho (@Orbinho) December 10, 2017

This isn’t new either. The Chilean has been well below par for most of this season, only bursting to life during the latter stages of games when the Gunners need to win or when it seems like the world is watching. It makes it pretty obvious that he can’t be bothered anymore and that he’s playing for a move when he knows Manchester City will have their eyes on him.

All forwards go through goal-droughts, and four goals in 13 games isn’t the worst return. However, when you consider the 28-year-old netted 30 over all competitions last term, you realise we’ve got a problem.

Alexis’ refusal – it seems – to play professionally for Arsenal hasn’t gone unnoticed by the fans, who are feeling pretty disappointed, although not that surprised, that he would drag his temper tantrum over still playing for the club onto the pitch.

What’s more, we’re all too aware of the fact he tried to get a move to City, our rivals, over the summer so that he could play in the Champions League. Obviously, Arsene Wenger couldn’t let him go. At the time, he was arguably our best player, and also it would have been a PR nightmare. The Gunners couldn’t let their brightest star follow the little boy inside him off to Manchester again, could they?

So Alexis stayed in north London and instead of acting like a professional, he did what he does best. Threw a strop and took his foot off the gas when playing in red and white.

You could argue that he’s just in poor form at the moment and while I would have taken your word for it back in August, four months on, that doesn’t wash. A player of his calibre doesn’t just forget how to perform and while he’s always been pretty bad when it comes to hanging onto the ball for too long, I think most of you will agree that this season it’s been on another level.

This is why Arsenal fans have began to dislike and even hate the forward. We know what he’s capable of. He proved it against the Saints when he assisted Olivier Giroud’s equaliser in the 88th minute. But that makes it all the more deplorable that he just decided not to for most of the match.

He spends most of his time moaning at other players for his mistakes while doing the least possible to make up for it personally. Everything is always someone else’s fault when he’s the one giving the ball away 32 times in one game.

We know he’s world class. He’s just choosing not to be right now because Wenger put his foot down and didn’t sell him to our rivals. How does he expect Gooners to feel about him?