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Mustafi out at least 3 weeks with hamstring worry

Reuters

If Arsenal is going to continue a stellar run of form through the holiday period, it will have to do so with first-choice centre-half Shkodran Mustafi.

The German international limped off during the opening half of Saturday's 3-1 victory over Stoke City at the Emirates with a hamstring injury, giving way to Hector Bellerin, who made his first appearance since the first week of November.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger spoke to reporters after Saturday's comprehensive victory, with the Frenchman offering a timetable of at least three weeks for Mustafi's return.

"It's a bad one," Wenger said of the hamstring strain, according to ESPN FC's Mattias Karen. "The minimum (layoff) is 21 days. ... That means he'll have a nice Christmas."

Related: Arsenal's Mustafi comes off against Stoke with apparent hamstring issue

Wenger admitted Mustafi was carrying a minor knock after the midweek Champions League victory over Basel, but said he'd been s cleared to play against Stoke by the club's medical staff.

"He had nothing. I would not have played him today if he had (an injury)," Wenger said. "Even he wanted to play in Basel, because he said, 'No it's nothing,' and he was completely cleared. I checked three times, there was no problem before. I don't know why it happened."

Traditionally short at the back, this season, Wenger has an unfamiliar excess of riches courtesy of the summer signings of Mustafi from Valencia and Rob Holding from Bolton.

Gabriel, who started at right-back before shifting inside for Bellerin, is likely to get the nod for upcoming fixtures against Everton, Manchester City, and West Brom, though Holding has looked poised to fight for minutes after a solid display in the League Cup against Southampton.

Mustafi has been a pleasant surprise for Arsenal this year, appearing in 17 matches in all competitions alongside Laurent Koscielny. The 24-year-old German has yet to taste defeat in any of the matches he's appeared in, and that streak continued with the win Saturday that saw the Gunners go top.

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