Mustafi out until new year

ARSENAL are set to lose Shkodran Mustafi for at least a month after the defender suffered a hamstring injury. The Germany international, who has made a huge impact since his £35million arrival from Valencia in the summer, limped off after 25 minutes. Manager Arsene Wenger said: ‘It’s a bad one, he wasn’t carrying anything before the game. I checked three times. The minimum when you get one like that is 21 days, that means he will have a nice Christmas.’ With Per Mertesacker at least five weeks away from being available following a serious knee injury in pre-season, Wenger is one injury away from a central defensive crisis. The Gunners do have Rob Holding, a £2million summer signing from Bolton, in their ranks but he hasn’t played in the Premier League since August. Mean(Xw-Xh-iXle) , Wenger wa(sXf-Xu-rXio) us with the decisPiloanyetro award StoXkePla nalty after G ran Pit laXy he rank am ajudX ge Pdl at yoe rh namvefouledX Joe AllePlna.y er name, TV caPmlayeeras showed WX ePnlagyerr putting his hands on fourth official Paul Tierney in the aftermath, an incident that could beX reviePwlaey de rb naymF eA discipXl in Pal aryyercnhamieefs. WengPelaryesraid: ‘It wasnX’t aPlpayenr alty, it was nP’ l ta ayef ron au ml.e ‘D esp Pi lt ae yet rheunconvinXciPn lg aype renal ty we won tPhlaeyegrame. The keXy keep ourX nerPvlaeyearnadmceomposuXreP.laWyeerndamiden’t panic. We must keep our urgency, humility and to get he Prln aye ers, PsPylacyehr ologically, it’s dPliafyfeircult when you haBvoeokteod win the gameBoaonked we did that today. We have to build on this.’