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Alexis Sanchez Left Arsenal Training Pitch After 'Bad Tackle,' Says Robert Pires

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Former Arsenal midfielder Robert Pires has confirmed that Alexis Sanchez left training last week but denied there was a bust-up involving the Chilean, insisting it was after a bad tackle.

Reports emerged recently that Sanchez was benched for the Gunners' 3-1 defeat to Liverpool on Saturday after being involved in a training ground spat with team-mates, claims manager Arsene Wenger denied, per BBC Sport.

Two-time Premier League winner Pires, who has been working at Arsenal's London Colney base this season, confirmed that Sanchez had indeed left training but due to a poor challenge, not a fight, per beIN Sports (h/t MailOnline's Oliver Todd and French football writer Matt Spiro):

"Claims in press there was a fight are false.