EPL: Lackluster Arsenal Held At Norwich As Klopp Wins First Premier League Home Game

Arsenal’s title ambitions suffered a double-blow on Sunday as a draw at Norwich was compounded by injuries to Alexis Sanchez and Laurent Koscielny.

The Gunners have now drawn two and lost one of their last three Premier League games.

Arsene Wengers men were held by Tottenham before losing 2-1 away to West Brom last week and a spirited Norwich City came from a goal down to force a 1-1 draw at Carrow Road on Sunday.

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Mesut Ozil put the Gunners in front with a sublime finish at the edge of the box after a good pass from Alexis Sanchez but Lewis Grabban equalized from close range just before the break, after poor defending from the visitors.

The result leaves the Gunners 2 points behind joint leaders Manchester City and Leicester City, with the Arsenal manager seeing no reason to panic.
The 66-year old said: “We have to go through that spell. We’ve had a bad spell of three games where we took only two points, but we’re still not far and that’s alright. It’s not enough, but we have an opportunity to come back.

“It was a difficult game. Norwich were focused and at a top level physically, we play every time with 10 players in their own half and we were not incisive enough to break through.

“Maybe the turning point was at 1-0 up, we allowed ourselves to drop a little and let them back into the game.

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“We had to dig deep to get through the second half, we were a little jaded. I would say it was a fair point for Norwich but, on the injury front, it was a bad game for us.”

Forward, Alexis Sanchez and Laurent Koscielny were forced off the game following an injury, with Santi Cazorla also taking a blow to his knee.

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Wenger revealed he was tempted to rest Sanchez, but the former Barcelona man passed a fitness test before the game on Sunday.

“The players are there to play football, not to be rested when the press decides that they need to be, Wenger added.

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“He says it’s a kick on his hamstring, I believe that’s not really the reality. I fear it’s not. When Cazorla was down he had a kick on one knee. The worrying thing is it got worse during the game.

“Koscielny got a kick on his hip. I must say with all humility we are not in a position to predict [injuries]. Despite all our tests he [Sanchez] looked alright. We checked it, when you have normal stretch in your hamstring there is no problem.”

Arsenal’s next Premier League game is against Sam Alardyce’s Sunderland on Saturday 5th December 2015, at the Emirate Stadium.

james milner penalty swansea

Elsewhere, Jurgen Klopp picked up his first league win at Anfield as James Milner’s second-half penalty gave Liverpool all three points in a tensely contested game against Swansea.

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