Arsenal move up to 3rd spot after win

LONDON: A controversial penalty sparked an Arsenal revival that saw them move above Chelsea and Tottenham and into third place in the Premier League table.

Norwich, who remain worried about the prospect of relegation, were leading thanks to Michael Turner's 56th minute opener when referee Mike Jones awarded Arsenal a penalty, ruling on the advice of a linesman that Kei Kamara had fouled Olivier Giroud.

With just five minutes remaining, Mikel Arteta converted that to set the stage for even later goals from Giroud and substitute Lukas Podolski, who had earlier hit the bar.

The three points lifted Arsenal above their London rivals for a Champions League place, and the Gunners will now play twice before Tottenham are next in Premier League action.

They have a Tuesday's home game with Everton and then the short trip across London to take on Fulham on Saturday.

The visitors defended in numbers and restricted Arsenal to only a few crosses in the opening 20 minutes but City goalkeeper Mark Bunn had to be both brave and alert to deny Aaron Ramsey a few minutes later.
Wilshere helped on Giroud's flick as Ramsey burst through the Canaries back-line and Bunn had to rush out to get to the ball before the Wales midfielder.

The Giroud saw his header from Bacary Sagna's cross from the right loop over Bunn but bounce off the top of the crossbar and over.

Arsenal continued to attack but Bunn pulled off a reflex stop at his near post to deny Giroud, with Sagna again the supplier.

Sagna was then booked for hauling Robert Snodgrass down but, after Cazorla had fired straight at Bunn from outside the box, referee Mike Jones decided not to caution Norwich defender Russell Martin for a late challenge on the Spain midfielder.

The half ended with Whittaker heading away Giroud's goal-bound effort after the Frenchman had met another corner with his head.

Arsenal came out in the second half with a barrage of pressure that Norwich somehow withstood, with Jack Wilshere seeing his shot blocked by Turner.

The ball hit the Norwich defender on an arm but referee Jones refused the inevitable appeals for a penalty.

Turner was immediately in the spotlight again at the other end when he lost his marker to head home Snodgrass's free-kick from the right-hand corner of the box, with Lukasz Fabianski in the Arsenal goal, rooted to the spot as it went in.

Wenger made an immediate double change with Gervinho and Wilshere replaced by Theo Walcott and Podolski. Walcott soon went down in the box as Whittaker challenged but again play continued.

Norwich were forced to replace the injured Bradley Johnson with David Fox but could have doubled their lead through a counter-attack that saw Bassong set up Martin for an shot that was straight at Fabianski.
Norwich's luck finally ran out when referee Jones ruled that Kamara, defending a corner, had pulled Giroud down by the shirt and awarded a penalty, which was dispatched by Arteta with just five minutes remaining.

Norwich protested bitterly beforehand and were unhappy with the award of the corner as well, as Snodgrass did not appear to have made contact before the ball went out of play.

Arsenal threw everything at the visitors in the hope of three points and were rewarded when Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, another substitute, played a one-two with Podolski and squared the ball across the Norwich goalmouth, where Giroud, arriving simultaneously with defender Bassong, turned it into the net.

Fabianski then had to make a save to stop Jonny Howson making it 2-2 but the points were Arsenal's when Podolski turned to fire a low left-footer past Bunn in stoppage time.(AFP)