Ole Gunnar Solskajer goes into the second leg juggling suspension headaches and injury issues and Neville hopes Sanchez can step up and find some kind of form by then.
“There was a 20-minute period in the second half and United didn’t touch the ball and Alexis Sanchez definitely didn’t, following the crushing 2-0 defeat.
“He’s not the Alexis Sanchez we fell in love with at Arsenal. He needs a 10 or 15-game run in the team without being brought off to build his form.
“Sanchez’s form has dipped so much that at the moment you look at subs to come on and make an impact, he’s not the one. I don’t think he’s gone, I think he might have to readapt his game. I think it’s confidence. He needs some love and he’s the one Ole has to work on. If Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard are out, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has to get Sanchez back in to form.”‘
Speaking after the game, the United boss was equally as disappointed that Sanchez struggled to impose himself up front.
“I can’t do anything about Alexis Sanchez,” Solskjaer said. “When he plays, he needs to find himself because we know there’s a quality player there.”
The Red Devils have a mountain to climb when the travel to Paris to take on the French champions in the second leg. But when the chips are down, a hero must arise and that hero could come in the form of United’s 5 foot 5 inch South American forward.