Mikel Arteta, Arsenal’s manager, explained that he was compelled to drop Ben White to the bench for the game against Manchester City, with Riccardo Calafiori taking his place in the starting lineup at the Etihad Stadium. According to Football London, White was deemed fit enough only for a spot on the bench.
White’s absence from the starting XI was notable, as he hadn’t been benched for a Premier League game since May 2022. Over the past two seasons, he has consistently started every league match he played in.
Furthermore, White had just played the full 90 minutes in Arsenal’s Champions League opener against Atalanta on Thursday and has been a constant presence in the squad this season. However, for the match against Manchester City, he was left out of the starting lineup, which raised some questions.
In an interview with Sky Sports, Arteta explained that the decision to bench White was somewhat “forced” due to fitness concerns.
He emphasized that the club has confidence in its players and the ability to adapt, noting, “We’ve done it with different players, but we have full belief in the players we have. It gives us something different.”
In White’s absence, Jurrien Timber was selected to start at right-back, while Riccardo Calafiori slotted in at left-back for his Premier League debut. Arsenal was eager for a win, especially considering the goalless draw at the Etihad last season that played a crucial role in their title race.
Adding to Arsenal’s injury concerns, the squad was already missing several key players, including Martin Odegaard, Mikel Merino, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Takehiro Tomiyasu, and Kieran Tierney. Arteta is undoubtedly wary of having White potentially join the growing injury list.
After the match against Manchester City, Arsenal will shift their focus to their upcoming games, starting with a Carabao Cup fixture against Bolton Wanderers on Wednesday, followed by a Premier League match against Leicester City on Saturday. A win over City would propel Arsenal to the top of the Premier League table, giving them a significant morale boost in the title race.
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