Sanchez laid on the opening goal for Mesut Ozil before recalled Lewis Grabban levelled for Norwich, who then created the better chances after the visitors had lost their talisman to a hamstring injury.
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Arsenal are facing up to the prospect of being without the hugely influential Alexis Sánchez and Santi Cazorla for their decisive Champions League group game against Olympiakos next week, though initial assessments of Laurent Koscielny’s fitness are more promising.
Chilean forward Sanchez is facing a three week lay-off with the hamstring injury which saw him limp off at Norwich on Sunday.
Sanchez is a massive blow but, despite the Arsenal star hoping it was only a kick, it is believed that it is a hamstring pull. I fear the reality is worse than that.
Arsenal are likely to continue with Mathieu Flamini in midfield for Saturday’s game against Sunderland and Aaron Ramsey may move in from the right to play alongside him as Wenger attempts to manage with his three leading candidates for central berths.
“I would have rested Sanchez, but he said to me before the game he was fine to play”, he said. When you have normal stretch and force there is no problem. We don’t need to worry about (the injuries).
“It was, on the injury front, a bad afternoon for us”. The news on Koscielny is far more encouraging despite Arsène Wenger having said post-match that the France centre-half “could not walk” after suffering a hip spasm eight minutes into the game.
The 27-year-old continued his impressive run of form with a goal against the Canaries mid-way though the first half. “If not, if the guy says ‘no”, then he might as well leave the club, you’re there to play.
“Even when the game is won for Arsenal, he will still go and put some pressure on teams and that’s why I mentioned it at the beginning of the game”. Every player goes out there with something to prove.
“It may be that they are encouraged to behave in a certain way in certain situations that makes them more prone to injuries during the game”.
“Hector Bellerin, I took him off because he had a groin problem just before so I had to take them off meaning I could not take Alexis off. We now have five days to recover”.
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Should they not manage this feat, it will be early losses to the Greek side and Dinamo Zagreb which will be blamed for their disappointing showing.
