The 28-year-old may be on the bench tonight against Manchester United, the club where he started his career, or is only likely to last 60 minutes if he does start.

“He’s a great impact substitute but long term and short term we want to get him to be a 90-minute player,” said Sanchez.

“The trouble is when we start him we have to take him off because of the physical aspect of the game, he tires but when he comes on he adds something to us.

“His goals are good. He should have had two more and he’s made two or three so he’s done very well. I think his start has been good.

“We can make him stronger, which we are doing with weights, and we can improve his endurance. The endurance is the big one because after an hour he tends to fade.”

Sanchez has no doubts over the quality Healy can provide when he eventually beefs up.

“The Premier League is very physical. Forwards of the quality of Hernan Crespo and Andriy Shevchenko find it challenging physically,” he said.

“They have the best attributes in the world but physically week in, week out it is a big ask.”

Sanchez also believes Healy will be helped by Brian McBride returning from injury in the new year, as well as a consistent run in the side when he is ready physically.

“Unless you cover Northern Irish football you don’t realise that David Healy is the David Beckham of Northern Ireland,” said Sanchez.

“In that respect perhaps it gives you more confidence, you know if you are fit you are going to play.

“That confidence is taken into his game a bit more. There are competition for places here. I didn’t have the array of forwards I have here at Northern Ireland.

“He plays with Kyle Lafferty with Northern Ireland who helped him with knock-downs. Since losing Brian McBride we haven’t had that type of strike so he has been asked to do roles that probably aren’t his strength because he is a box player.”