Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger praised Alexis Sanchez's "killer instinct" after the Chile striker struck a hat-trick to see off West Ham United at London Stadium, 5-1.
Sanchez set up Arsenal's first goal, scored by Mesut Ozil midway through the first half as the north London club kept pace with English Premier League leader Chelsea, before adding three of his own in the second half, the last a superb chip.
"He has all the ingredients to be a top-class striker, and he shows that now in every game," Wenger said. "He is quick to close down, he can dribble and has a short backlift, he has a killer instinct. South Americans at the moment in world football are the leading strikers. If you look through the top scoring strikers in Europe, they are nearly all South American."
Sanchez's goals took him level atop the Premier League scoring charts with Diego Costa, the Chelsea striker, on 11 goals.
Earlier on Saturday, Costa, a naturalized Spaniard born in Brazil, had struck in Chelsea's 3-1 defeat of Manchester City at Etihad Stadium.
The victory over struggling West Ham moved Arsenal second, three points behind league leader Chelsea.
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