Kieran Gibbs, Arsenal. Photo: Peter Byrne/PA

Arsenal defender Kieran Gibbs will miss the next three weeks with a thigh injury, manager Arsene Wenger has confirmed.

The left-back limped out of tonight’s 2-2 draw with Liverpool suffering from the problem and was replaced by Andre Santos.

“He has a thigh strain that rules him out for the next three weeks. It’s a blow for us of course,” Wenger said.

“He was an important player for us going forward and the game we wanted to play. It’s a shame he’s out for the next three weeks.”

Gibbs will miss Saturday’s meeting with Stoke and a further Premier League clash against Sunderland, while he could also be a doubt for the Champions League encounter with Bayern Munich.

Wenger said he would think about looking for a replacement for Gibbs before the transfer window closes tomorrow, while also confirming any move for Spain striker David Villa would not happen.

The Barcelona man has been a target of Wenger’s but a deal has failed to materialise and when asked if it was dead, he said: “Yes.”