From the outside Arsene Wenger and Alexis Sanchez have the perfect working relationship. One is the prodigiously talented footballer while the other is the old master who knows how to get the best of his player.
But the Chilean international is not known for taking it easy, and his work rate and industrious style is part of what makes him such a tour de force in the Premier League.
And with that in mind, Wenger has to do what he can to protect one of his star men, but while this is good for the former Barcelona man in the long run, he has admitted that it makes him sad whenever the manager decides to rest him.
Having moved Sanchez into a more central position, Wenger has sought to use him slightly more sparingly in order to conserve the player’s energy and ensure he doesn’t suffer from burnout.
Wenger was concerned that Sanchez uses too much energy when playing on the flanks, and that his ability in front of goal is enhanced through the middle as he spends less of his time tracking back for defensive duties.
And his decision to move the 27-year-old into a central position has paid dividends so far this season as Sanchez has delivered with eight goals and seven assists.
But the player has revealed that he doesn’t enjoy being told to take it easy as he has an overwhelming desire to play every minute of every game.
Speaking with ESPN Brazil, Sanchez admitted that he doesn’t always respond well to his manager’s pleas to take his foot off the gas.
“He told me to rest, but I don’t like to rest. Neither in the matches,” Sanchez said.
“I don’t like to be out, I get upset, I go home sad, because I train to play, I rest to play.
“It’s my job and I do everything to perform at 100 per cent.”
However, this week sees Sanchez back in his native Chile where he is set to help his national team with the upcoming World Cup qualifiers, though it is incredibly unlikely that he will be rested by manager Juan Antonio Pizzi.
Chile need Sanchez more than ever right now, as the Copa America champions are in danger of missing out on the tournament.
They currently sit in fifth place in the South American qualifying round, with Argentina level on points behind them.
Not that that will be of any concern to Arsenal fans, who have their own ambitions to worry about. The side are presently sat in fourth place, just two points off of leaders Liverpool.
The side have also managed to book their path into the next round of the Champions League again, and sit joint top with Paris Saint-Germain on 10 points. The pair will have the opportunity to battle for the top spot when they meet after the international break, but with so many irons in the fire Wenger may be right to tell his star man to ease off a little at this stage of the campaign.