Exclusive: Arsenal star has long-running injury problem that may need managing, says expert

Arsenal defender Ben White has a long-running injury problem that may need some managing this season, according to Charles Watts as he explained why Mikel Arteta dropped the player from his starting XI against Manchester City.

Speaking exclusively to CaughtOffside for his latest Daily Briefing column, Watts explained that White had some issues with his fitness last season, but largely played through the pain for the club.

Arsenal fans will know all too well that White has been a mainstay in the line up for some time now, so it would have come as a big surprise to see the 26-year-old dropped to the bench for such a big game on Sunday.

Still, Watts has explained that White was not dropped for tactical reasons or any other technical decision, but just because there is some concern over his current injury status.

White injury: Charles Watts provides insight into the Arsenal defender being benched

Watts also made it clear just how much of a boost it is for Arsenal to now have Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori as options in defence to cope with the absence of a key player like White.

Calafiori only joined Arsenal from Bologna this summer, and made his first start for Arteta’s side at the Etihad Stadium, impressing at left-back and even marking his full Premier League debut with a superb goal to make it 1-1 in the first half.

Timber, meanwhile, replaced White on the right-hand side and put in a fine shift, with the Dutchman proving a useful member of the squad this season after missing virtually the entirety of the previous campaign through injury.

Click here to the full column from our Arsenal columnist Charles Watts.