Arsenal injury crisis as Shkodran Mustafi ruled out for six weeks and more defensive worries ahead of Watford clash
ARSENAL have been hit by a major defensive injury crisis after Shkodran Mustafi was ruled out for six weeks with a groin problem.
Arsene Wenger has been dealt a huge blow after losing Mustafi until the end of November after he pulled up while on international duty with Germany.
The Arsenal boss has admitted Sead Kolasinac is also struggling with a hip problem suffered playing for Bosnia.
And he is having to give Laurent Koscielny as long as possible to prove his fitness for Saturday's Premier League clash with Watford because he is so short of defenders.
With Calum Chambers also sidelined through injury it could mean Arsenal go into the Watford match without four senior defenders.
Wenger said: "I have concerns about my defence because of the injuries, and I need to think about that.
"Kolasinac is a minor problem, a hip problem. We lost Mustafi for four to six weeks, I don’t think he will be available before the next international break.
"Koscielny will have a final test tomorrow but at the moment he is not available.
"He trained on his own and the signs were positive so we will test him on Friday.
"Watford are a strong side, well balanced and a tough opposition for everybody.
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"I will decide what I have to do when Koscielny has his test tomorrow. If he has no pain on his Achilles then he will play."
Wenger added: "The player I expected to lose the least during the break was Mustafi.
"I didn’t expect him to play and Germany had already qualified so their matches would have been less intense.
"He didn’t play in their first game and we lost him in the second – we have to cope with that now."
While Wenger has concerns at the back, he is at least boosted by the return to fitness of Danny Welbeck and Mesut Ozil who are both in his squad for Saturday's game.
Alexis Sanchez will not report back from international duty with Chile until Friday, but Wenger has no concerns over the forward or Aaron Ramsey's mental state after their World Cup exits.
Wenger said: "We will assess Sanchez when he comes back, I watched the Brazil game and he got some special treatment in that game.
"I believe him, like Aaron Ramsey are winners, they want to focus on winning things and the World Cup is a big aim, but when you don’t have that you focus on your club."
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