Norwich City 1, Arsenal 1: Arsene Wenger defends decision to field playmaker Alexis Sanchez in injury-plagued draw
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger defended his decision to play Alexis Sanchez after the mesmeric forward hobbled off during his side’s injury-plagued draw with lowly Norwich at Carrow Road yesterday.
Sanchez was a doubt for the clash after picking up a hamstring knock against Dinamo Zagreb in midweek but was on hand to set up Mesut Ozil for Arsenal’s opener before Norwich striker Lewis Grabban levelled with his first goal of the season.
“The players are there to play football and not to be rested when the press decides they need to be rested,” said Wenger of Sanchez. “He says it is a kick on the hamstring. I fear the reality is worse than that.
“Nobody is scientifically developed enough, not even the press, to predict exactly when a guy would be injured. I must say that with all humility we are not in a position to predict that, despite all our tests looking all right.”
Arsenal have taken just two points during November and were already contending with a crippling injury list before the severity of the situation worsened with the potential loss of Sanchez, while Laurent Koscielny and Santi Cazorla also face the prospect of a spell on the sidelines.
“In the first half he [Cazorla] got a kick on the knee and it got worse,” added Wenger. “I don’t know if he has jaded his knee ligament or it was just a kick on the nerve but the worrying thing was it got worse during the game.
“For Koscielny, it was a kick on his hip and he could not move at all. We have to assess all of that.”
Arsenal were on course for maximum points when Sanchez took full advantage of a miscued clearance from Norwich goalkeeper John Ruddy to set up Ozil for his fourth goal of the season on the half hour mark.
But the Gunners were unable to secure a victory which would have moved them level on points with Premier League leaders Manchester City as Grabban collected Robbie Brady’s pass to fire past Petr Cech moments before the break.