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Sanchez 'expected something better' after difficult United transition

GLYN KIRK / AFP / Getty

Alexis Sanchez admitted Wednesday he requested a leave of absence from international duty after enduring a difficult start to life at Manchester United.

Sanchez has always held a high standard for himself, and with just a goal and two assists in 10 appearances since joining United from Arsenal, he's clearly unhappy with his production.

"As I am self-demanding, I expected something better," Sanchez said, as reported by the Daily Mirror's Alex Richards. "After my arrival at United, it was hard to change everything very quickly. I even hesitated to come here (to Sweden with the national team). I had asked permission to miss these games, but then I thought better and spoke with (Chile goalkeeper) Claudio Bravo and told him that we should all be united.

"The change of club was something that was very abrupt - it was the first time I've changed clubs in January - but many things have happened in my life that are difficult."

Related: How has Sanchez fared in his opening 10 Manchester United matches?

In the end, however, the 29-year-old agreed to join up with his Chilean teammates for friendlies against Sweden and Denmark.

Sanchez has struggled to impose himself in the final third, dropping deep to collect the ball to jump-start United's sleepy attack.

But he's failed to take matches by storm as he did at Arsenal, prompting criticism from the likes of Rio Ferdinand and supporters.

"Sanchez looks like a shadow of his former self," Ferdinand said earlier this month. "When he was at Arsenal, he was a player everyone looked to for inspiration. Here he just looks like a stranger in this team."

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