Ahead of Sunday's game between the two teams, former Manchester City forward Paul Walsh debates the relative merits of the Premier League stars alongside ex-Arsenal striker Alan Smith...
What makes Aguero so good?
Paul Walsh: He’s powerful, he’s squat, he’s very sharp and he’s more central than Sanchez. So that’s why his goalscoring record is slightly better. He’s more of an out-an-out centre-forward. In terms of goalscoring and finishing, Aguero is second to nobody at the moment in terms of goals per game.It’s the fact that he can burst past people with his power. When he’s got his back to goal, he can also use that low centre of gravity to get his backside into defenders and turn very quickly, shifting them away from the ball. He makes space and scores all types of goals. He’s just an all-round great centre-forward.
Alan Smith: As a former striker myself, the hardest thing to do in football is score goals and he does it brilliantly. Fitness is a key aspect of it but when he’s towards 100 per cent, he’s one of the best around. He can score with his left and his right and he’s a strong boy who won’t get bullied - he’ll keep coming back for more.
How can Aguero improve?
Alan Smith: Staying on the pitch. It’s easier said than done but if you look at the top players like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, they’ve hardly been injured over the past three or four years. Sometimes luck comes into it; having the sort of body than can withstand challenges and get by with the odd niggle but you couldn’t really pick at many flaws in his game at all.Paul Walsh: He’s got injured and that’s happened to him on a few occasions now where he’s had to come out and miss a couple of months. That would be a concern.
How does Sanchez compare?
Paul Walsh: Aguero will have the better goals-per-game record at the end of the season but then you look at Sanchez and the work-rate, the closing down and the job he does for the team. I would say Sanchez does that better. He conscientiously defends for the team going the other way and I would say Aguero doesn’t particularly have to do that.Alan Smith: What you’d say about Sanchez is that he’s more versatile. He plays on the left, he plays on the right and he’s played through the middle for Arsenal. You wouldn’t want to see Aguero on the flanks, you’d prefer him in the width of the penalty area. So Sanchez can play in three positions.
What makes Sanchez so good?
Alan Smith: You can’t fail to be impressed by his work-rate. It must be infectious. His team-mates see the desire that he shows and you’ve really got to follow in his slipstream. I commentated on the game against Stoke and they were 3-0 up but he was chasing back and putting in tackles.He never stops. It’s frightening at times. If you talk to people at Arsenal, they’ve had to calm him down at times. He’s on the training ground wanting to score goals or he’s in the gym pushing weights. He’s one of those that never wants to stop still. You can’t really coach that attitude, it’s just in him.
Paul Walsh: If you like hard work, you like running around and you like making things happen, you’ll have a chance wherever you play but because of the demands of the Premier League he’s slipped right in there. It’s an energetic league.
Who would miss their star man more?
Alan Smith: Probably Arsenal. City have got by without Aguero and they’ve got by without Edin Dzeko too. They’ve enjoyed a good run of form without him. With Arsenal, Sanchez has dragged the team forward really. They’ve been up and down but he’s been the consistent one and I think they’d miss him more than City have missed Aguero.Paul Walsh: I couldn’t agree more because he’s the stand-out player at the moment. That infectiousness drags your team-mates along behind you and the tempo stays high because of his energy. I think if that was taken out of the team, it would have a bigger impact. City have already proven they can get by without Dzeko or Aguero.