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Alexis Sanchez must start to enjoy playing again, says Arsenal teammate Laurent Koscielny

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Getty Images

Laurent Koscielny has urged Alexis Sanchez to “keep his head cool” and focus on enjoying football again.

The Arsenal forward is set to make his first Premier League start tonight since a £60million deadline-day move to Manchester City collapsed after the Gunners failed to sign Monaco’s Thomas Lemar as a replacement.

West Brom are this evening’s visitors to Emirates Stadium and the Gunners are seeking a victory which would move them to within one point of fourth-placed Tottenham.

“Alexis is an important player for us,” said Koscielny. “I know it was a difficult situation with the transfer window but now it’s finished and I think he is focused on his job, on his performance and on his club.

“He’s an Arsenal player and he knows that he needs to play and he needs to score some goals and give assists to be better. He’s still working every day like he did before, so the most important thing is to keep his head cool and just play and enjoy.”

Arsenal are also expected to recall Mesut Ozil after he missed their previous League outing at Chelsea with a knee problem, but Danny Welbeck will be out for around three weeks due to a groin injury.

Kieran Gibbs could feature against his former club for the first time following his £7m move to the Hawthorns, while Gareth Barry will break Ryan Giggs’s all-time Premier League appearance record should he make his 633rd outing this evening.

“It is amazing to have had his career like this,” said Koscielny about the 36-year-old former England international. “He was not injured a lot and to stay fit like this during 15-20 years is amazing. Sometimes in football you can have some difficult periods. You play 10 years and it’s, ‘Okay, but I want to stop’. But he’s always enjoyed to play football and that’s why he is still here.”