Arsenal vs. Norwich City: Winners and Losers from Premier League
Arsenal eased a little bit of the tension around the Emirates Stadium with a 1-0 win over Norwich City on Saturday.
After a frustrating first half in which the Gunners recorded zero shots on target, they broke through in he 59th minute by way of a Danny Welbeck tally.
Although the hosts were forced to hang on for three points, they secured an important victory in the race for the UEFA Champions League places.
The Gunners temporarily moved into third place in the Premier League table with their three points. Manchester City's result on Sunday against Southampton could change that. As for Norwich, they are one step closer to relegation, after Newcastle United and Sunderland earned positive results earlier on Saturday.
Here's a look at our winners and losers from Arsenal's win over Norwich
Winner: Arsene Wenger
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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger couldn't have asked for a better sequence of events to follow his second substitution.
The French manager, who was the topic of countless fan protests throughout the contest, took off Alex Iwobi in favor of Danny Welbeck. The move was met with jeers from the crowd as many thought Olivier Giroud would make way for Welbeck.
Just over three minutes after the switch occurred, Giroud headed the ball down to the feet of Welbeck, who struck for the opener.
The forward combination was exactly what Wenger needed among the plethora of criticism, even if it won't go away easily. Saturday's win over Norwich also helped the Gunners' quest for the UEFA Champions League. Arsenal are eight points ahead of West Ham United and Manchester United in the race for the final two Champions League places.
Loser: Nathan Redmond
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Nathan Redmond produced three of the best chances in the first half, but he was unable to convert on any of them.
The first opportunity for the Norwich City man came in the sixth minute, as his shot from space on the right side of the box was saved by Petr Cech.
In the 42nd and 45th minutes, the 22-year-old had two more opportunities to put the Canaries ahead, but he failed to strike the back of the net.
The poor finishing from the winger allowed Arsenal to stay in the game, and it sunk Norwich's hopes of survival after Newcastle United's win and Sunderland's draw on Saturday.
Winner: Petr Cech
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While his teammates were sputtering in the final third during the first 45 minutes, Petr Cech made a few key saves to keep the game scoreless.
Cech may not have produced any goalkeeping masterpieces in between the pipes in the first half, but he did what was expected of him to avoid a shocking defeat to the relegation fighters.
The netminder's top two denials came on Redmond in the sixth and 42nd minutes. By keeping order on his end of the pitch, Cech allowed the Arsenal attackers to find a rhythm and eventually pounce for an opener.
Loser: Per Mertesacker
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Per Mertesacker exited the pitch in the 50th minute with what appeared to be a leg injury.
The German's knock allowed Gabriel to enter the fray and shine throughout the critical stages of the second half.
With Mertesacker sidelined, his Brazilian replacement made a key tackle in the 70th minute on Dieumerci Mbokani, and Gabriel also came up with an important block nine minutes later.
If the injury is serious enough to keep Mertesacker out for the rest of the season, he could leave the door open for Gabriel to climb up the depth chart entering the offseason.
Winner: Danny Welbeck
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Danny Welbeck contributed to an Arsenal goal for the third time in four matches with his 59th-minute tally.
The 25-year-old forward, who notched an assist against West Ham and Crystal Palace recently, allowed everyone around the Emirates Stadium to breathe a bit easier with his strike from the middle of the box.
The tally came after Giroud nodded down a pass from a few feet away. It may not happen for long stretches of time at the end of the year, but it would be nice to see what the forward pair could do together if Arsenal are in another attacking bind.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
