Alex Neil: Norwich City aggression against Arsenal pleases boss

Norwich manager Alex Neil was pleased with his side's aggression in their Premier League 1-1 draw with Arsenal.

The result brought Neil's side only their fourth point from seven matches.

"I don't think there was any malice in it - we were just making sure we were aggressive and we wanted to win the ball more than them," he said.

"I want that against every team. It doesn't matter if we're playing Arsenal or anybody else - I was pleased with how we approached the match."

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger afterwards confirmed that Alexis Sanchez, Santi Cazorla and Laurent Koscielny were injured during the game, which saw Norwich striker Lewis Grabban cancel out Mesut Ozil's opener at Carrow Road.

Grabban had not started a league match since the opening day of the season, having reportedly walked out of the team hotel ahead of a League Cup match against Rotherham amid interest from Bournemouth - an action for which he later apologised.

"Lewis has been in contention for weeks upon weeks now. I just felt leading up to this game that we needed Lewis' attributes in terms of his retention of the ball, work-rate and pace down the flanks," Neil told BSports Radio Norfolk.

"I thought he added all that and he got his goal. Let's be honest, if it was a move that didn't work, he would have got criticised and so would I.

"Me and Lewis have got a good relationship, I know how good a player he is and I'm pleased for him he's showed everybody what he can do at this level.

"As far as I'm concerned, what's happened in the past has happened."