Arsenal draw with Norwich, Alexis Sanchez hamstring injury

However, after the game Wenger was adamant that Alexis’ injury was not his fault, with the Chilean joining a growing list of players in the Arsenal treatment room.

Arsenal injuries Santi Cazorla – Knee problem Laurent Koscielny – Hip problem Alexis Sanchez – Hamstring Mikel Arteta – Calf problem Francis Coquelin – Knee ligament Theo Walcott – Calf Danny Welbeck – Knee Jack Wilshere – Ankle Tomas Rosicky – Knee Kieran Gibbs – Calf.

“I would have rested Sanchez, but he said to me before the game he was fine to play”, he said.

“When he was down he had a kick on the knee”, Wenger explained.

“He says it’s a kick on his hamstring, I believe that’s not really the reality”.

The injuries to Cazorla and Sanchez mean that Arsenal go into the most important month of their season so far without much of their attacking firepower.

“Cazorla played on one leg and of course we played Kosicelny at the start of the game so it was, I would say, a fair point for Norwich and it was on the injury front a bad afternoon for us”.

“Even when the game is won sometimes he will still go and put some pressure on teams and that’s why I mentioned it at the beginning of the game”.

Sanchez was magnificent as the Gunners kept alive their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League knockout phase for a 16th consecutive season, plundering two goals after Mesut Ozil had struck the opener. It’s not enough, but we have an opportunity to come back.

“We checked him [during the week] and when you have no force and no middle stretch in your hamstring then there is no problem and he had that”. We will have to assess the injury in the week.

Lewis Grabban is targeting a run in the Norwich side after scoring the equaliser against Arsenal on his Barclays Premier League return.

“Overall we had to dig deep”.

“Overall it was a hard game but at least we didn’t lose it. That’s the positive of the day”.

Liverpool moved within four points of Arsenal as Juergen Klopp earned his first league win at Anfield since replacing Brendan Rodgers as manager in early October.

Klopp was left celebrating his sixth win in his last seven games in all competitions for Liverpool, but might feel fortunate that Milner’s 62nd-minute penalty was awarded after Swansea defender Neil Taylor could do little about Jordon Ibe’s cross striking his arm from close range.