Former Liverpool defender Mark Lawrenson believes the whole of the Arsenal team are going through an average period and their poor form has not be caused by the absence of centre-back Shkodran Mustafi.
The German limped off during the first half of the Gunners' 3-1 victory over Stoke earlier this month and has been unable to shake off a hamstringproblem ever since.
Although he is expected to return in the new year, Arsenal's form has taken a noticeable dip withMustafi out of the sideas they suffered back-to-back league defeats against Everton and Manchester City, although they did claim an invaluable 1-0 victory over West Brom.
But whilst Arsene Wenger's team have struggled defensively in those games and thrown away one-goal leads in both, MarkLawrenson refuses to accept that the team's downturn in fortuneshas been caused by the loss of Musatfi.
The 59-year-old toldBBC sport:Arsenal led against Everton and Manchester City last week but lost both matches.I know injured centre-back Shkodran Mustafi did not play in either defeat but what happened to them surely cannot be down to them missing one player.
Arsenal have now lost 4 games across all competitions this season.
Shkodran Mustafi hasn't played in any of those games. pic.twitter.com/d1U1hIZxyD
Collectively, I think their whole team is having a very average period. Even Alexis Sanchez cannot lift them on his own.�
The two defeats left Arsenal someway behind league leaders Chelsea, who won 3-0 against Bournemouth on Boxing Day,although their own last-gasp victory over West Brom has at least stopped the rot.
Mustafi is expected toreturn in the new year, as they now face three games in the space of a week and know that they cannot afford to drop anymore points.