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Arsenal 1 Norwich 1: Arsene Wenger 'does not regret' playing Alexis Sanchez despite picking up injury last week

Sanchez was forced off after an hour having suffered a hamstring injury

Jack de Menezes
Monday 30 November 2015 10:17 GMT
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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger looks on during the 1-1 draw with Norwich
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger looks on during the 1-1 draw with Norwich

Arsene Wenger has rejected claims that he ignored Alexis Sanchez and played him despite being injured after the forward limped out of Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Norwich on Sunday.

Sanchez was forced off after an hour, having reached for his hamstring after chasing a through ball in front of goal. The news has been taken very badly by Arsenal fans given Sanchez’s important to the side’s Premier League title challenge, and some have turned on the manager for ignoring Sanchez’s admission that he went into the game carrying a knock.

Wenger admitted on Thursday that he would assess Sanchez after seeing the Chilean struggle in mid-week, and his worst fears came true when injury struck ahead of a busy festive period in the Premier League. Arsenal also have a must-win Champions League tie with Olympiakos next week that will decide whether they qualify for the last-16 or drop down to the Europa League for the first time.

However, Wenger claimed that he had no regrets about selecting Sanchez in his starting lone-up, despite the 26-year-old now facing a spell on the sidelines.

Asked if the decision was an error, Wenger answered: "No, the players are there to play football, not to be rested when the press decides when they need to be rested.

"He says it's a kick on his hamstring. I believe that's not really the reality. I fear it is not the reality.

"Nobody is scientifically developed enough, not even the press, to predict when a guy will be injured. I must say with all our humility, we are not in a position to predict. We are not in a position where we can predict. Despite our tests he looked alright.

"We checked it (the hamstring). When you have normal stretch and force there is no problem. We checked it and he had no problem."

Wenger also had to bring off Laurent Koscielny after the defender picked up a hip injury in an awkward-looking tackle during the first half. Koscielny was replaced by Gabriel Paulista, who let Lewis Grabban turn him and score the equaliser shortly before half-time.

Santi Cazorla also left Carrow Road injured despite seeing out the 90 minutes, with Wenger admitting that the midfielder was “playing on one leg” by the full-time whistle.

"When he was down he had a kick on the knee," Wenger said of the Spaniard.

"We don't know if it jaded his knee ligaments or was a kick on the nerve but the worrying thing is it got worse during the game. Koscielny was a kick on the hip and he can't move even now."

To make matters worse, Arsenal saw Kieran Gibbs pull out of the warm-up with a calf injury.

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