Arsenal lost Alexis Sanchez and Laurent Koscielny to
injury in a 1-1 draw at Norwich City on Sunday that prevented them drawing
level with Premier League leaders Manchester City.
Sanchez set up Mesut Ozil for Arsenal's 30th-minute
opener at Carrow Road, but after Lewis Grabban had equalised just before
half-time, the influential Chilean left the fray clutching his right hamstring.
Centre-back Koscielny had already departed by that
stage, having been replaced by Gabriel in the 11th minute, leaving Arsenal
manager Arsene Wenger with seven senior players on the sidelines.
Arsenal finished the weekend two points below City in
fourth place, with Leicester City and Manchester United between them, having
squandered an opportunity to move level on points with Manuel Pellegrini's
side.
Liverpool had much happier injury news to report in
their 1-0 home win over Swansea City as they welcomed back England
internationals Jordan Henderson and Daniel Sturrige from injury.
James Milner's 62nd-minute penalty, awarded for a
handball by Neil Taylor, lifted Jurgen Klopp's side up to sixth place and
increased the pressure on Swansea manager Garry Monk, who has overseen one win
in 10 league games.
Henderson, Liverpool's captain, made his return after
three months out with a heel problem and a broken foot, as a replacement for
Roberto Firmino, while Sturridge made his first appearance under Klopp in place
of Christian Benteke.
Liverpool have lost only once in 10 games since Klopp
succeeded the sacked Brendan Rodgers and finished the weekend four points below
fourth-place Arsenal, who occupy the last of the Champions League places.
Earlier, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho declared that
the champions had produced their best performance of the campaign after they
drew 0-0 at in-form Tottenham Hotspur.
Chelsea have had little to shout about of late and
although the result served only to move them up to 14th place in the standings,
Mourinho, who dropped misfiring striker Diego Costa, was encouraged by what he
saw.
West Ham United are now without a win in four league
games following a 1-1 draw at home to West Bromwich Albion.
Mauro Zarate put the hosts ahead in the 17th minute
with a stunning free-kick, but West Brom equalised early in the second half
when substitute Rickie Lambert's shot deflected in off Winston Reid for an own
goa
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