Alexis Sanchez has an enviable record at Wembley – and it is one he wants to extend on Saturday.
The Manchester United frontman has bagged eight goals in as many appearances at the national stadium, including in two FA Cup Finals for former club Arsenal.
He netted in the Reds’ Emirates FA Cup semi-final win over Tottenham last month and his eyes are now firmly fixed on another London club; Chelsea.
Sanchez said: “I think the fact that I’ve scored eight times at Wembley is something that, for the moment, I cannot really fully evaluate.
“I believe that sometime in the future I’ll sit down and reflect upon what I’ve achieved in my career and that will definitely include the goals I’ve scored at Wembley Stadium.
“I hope to be able to repeat this in the Final against Chelsea and go on to win the Cup again. I’m so happy to be back at Wembley and can’t wait to get started.
“Manchester United is a massive club which always aspires to win big trophies and that is what I’m trying to help make happen, I want to try and keep improving so we can see the club winning trophies, so I really hope to win The FA Cup again against Chelsea.”
Secured from the Gunners in a straight swap with Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Sanchez is realistic and honest about the gradual nature of his assimilation to life in Manchester.
However, the fact that he has reserved his best displays for United’s biggest games of 2018 so far – a 3-2 win at Manchester City and the semi-final comeback against Spurs – augurs well for the future of both the skilful attacker and his new club.
“I believe that United really is a very big club on a worldwide scale and even more so in England where it’s the biggest,” said the Chilean. “They always want to win and to be fighting on all fronts and that’s the reason I wanted to come here. I also had some great players alongside me at Barcelona. I think that United are not too dissimilar as a club to them in their size and stature.
“However, we still have areas where we can continue to improve. I think that every game I’ve played in up to now I’ve maybe found it hard to adapt to the style of play and I’ve been getting to know my team-mates. I believe we need to improve in all aspects. We need to be focused and concentrated in the big games and the same in the so-called lesser games too.”
United’s search for consistency in lower profile games can be shelved at the weekend, with the eyes of the world trained on the final game of England’s domestic season.
Victory over Chelsea would yield the Reds’ fourth major trophy in three years – three in two under the management of Jose Mourinho – while it would give Sanchez his third FA Cup winners’ medal in four years.
But Sanchez knows how tough it will be to overcome Antonio Conte’s Blues.
He said: “Chelsea have got some great players, big players with a lot of experience and we need to pay close attention to their threat all over the field and make sure we start the game with 100 per cent concentration.”
