Arsenal head coach Unai Emery faces yet another defensive headache with Shkodran Mustafi and Hector Bellerin ruled out of Saturday’s home game against Burnley.
Spanish right-back Bellerin (left calf) had been expected to miss the visit of Sean Dyche’s side to the Emirates Stadium but his absence from contention for the next fortnight will be a major headache for Emery, with the Spaniard now out for the majority of the festive period.
Emery had been optimistic that Mustafi (right hamstring) would recover in time for Saturday after the German centre-back was injured in a 1-0 win over Huddersfield on December 8. In his absence Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Laurent Koscielny are expected to start in central defence though it remains to be seen whether it is in a back three or four with up to six defenders sidelined for much of the festive period.
Whether Emery fields a back three or four may depend on whether Sead Kolasinac (right thigh) recovers in time. He and Henrikh Mkhitaryan (right ankle) were facing late fitness tests ahead of Saturday’s game.
Emile Smith Rowe (right hip) and Konstantinos Mavropanos (groin) are expected to return to training later this month.
Scroll through Arsenal's full injury and suspension list in the gallery above...
