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Norwich — Arsenal saw star man Alexis Sanchez and centre-back Laurent Koscielny forced off by injury during yesterday’s 1-1 draw at Norwich City in the Premier League. The Gunners had hoped to move level on points with leaders Manchester City, but instead find themselves in fourth place, two points off the pace and also below Leicester City and Manchester United.

And their chances of closing that gap will diminish should either player be ruled out long-term, with Chile forward Sanchez in particular an early contender for the league’s Player of the Season awards.

The pair appear set to join an absentee list that already includes Mikel Arteta, Francis Coquelin, Theo Walcott, Danny Welbeck, Jack Wilshere and Tomas Rosicky. It has all added up to a disappointing November domestically for Arsene Wenger’s side.

They may have kept their hopes of Champions League progress alive on Tuesday with victory over Dinamo Zagreb, but they accumulated just two Premier League points over the month.

An early Sanchez effort fizzed just wide at Carrow Road, but Arsenal’s troubles began straight afterwards when centre-back Koscielny was hurt as Lewis Grabban challenged him.

Meanwhile, Liverpool gained their first Premier League home win under manager Jurgen Klopp as James Milner’s penalty secured a 1-0 home win over struggling Swansea City yesterday.

Milner lifted his spot-kick into the top of the net with just under half an hour remaining after Neil Taylor handled Jordon Ibe’s cross.

Striker Daniel Sturridge and captain Jordan Henderson made returns from injury as Klopp’s side laboured to a victory that sent them up to sixth place in the table.

Sturridge, waylaid by a knee problem, made his first appearance since Klopp took charge last month, while midfielder Henderson, who has been absent with a broken foot, played for the first time since August.

Defeat leaves Swansea, who have won just one of their last 10 league matches, hovering just above the relegation zone. Garry Monk’s side were fourth at the end of August, but have faltered badly since.

They looked nervy at first and almost conceded a comical own goal inside the first six minutes as they were undone by a swift Liverpool attack. Ibe raced in from the right onto Adam Lallana’s through-ball after Milner had won possession. Centre-back Kyle Bartley slid in as the winger lost control, diverting the ball against his own post as goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski stood helpless.

The visitors occasionally broke, with Kyle Naughton eager to get forward, and it was from the right-back’s cross that Portugal forward Eder headed wide at the near post under pressure from Martin Skrtel.