Arsenal provide huge Ben White injury update vs Spurs

To say Arsenal are heading into the North London Derby against Tottenham with only one injury concern feels about right, which says an awful lot about the strength of the squad.

Supporters have been fretting over the availability of Benjamin White for Thursday’s colossal encounter with Spurs, with the absences of cornerstone figures like Kieran Tierney and Thomas Partey very much accepted now.

They’re still missed, of course, but four straight wins to put Arsenal into a position where a top four place at the expense of their bitter rivals has made a scenario that was initially felt as being season-ending suddenly one of real hope.

Knowing the situation pre-Spurs, fingers and toes have been firmly crossed for the return of another vital defensive piece, with White having missed the last two matchday squads with a tight hamstring.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta provides huge Benjamin White injury update ahead of North London Derby vs Tottenham

Arteta has said the summer signing, who has clocked up more minutes than anyone else in the squad this season, has been carrying a knock over recent weeks and belief was that the matches he’s missed have been more precautionary than anything.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of Thursday’s Premier League match, the manager provided a huge update on White’s availability.

"“Ben is still a doubt. We have to assess him. Bukayo is the same,” he said.The manager did add, however, that White is feeling ‘much better’, although it is ‘very difficult to rate with injuries’."

Always one to leave a little to the imagination, given what is at stake it is more understandable than ever that Arteta isn’t being entirely definitive on his inclusion, even though this isn’t the most reassuring update. Adding Bukayo Saka into the equation is also concerning. Again, hopefully it’s some pre-derby mind games.

If all works well, having White back for the derby makes a huge difference to how Arsenal can set their team up. Seeing how the team matched Chelsea’s 3-4-3 during stages of the Stamford Bridge win, there is scope to follow suit and play White in a versatile right-back/centre-back role.

Equally, Arteta could bring him straight back into the back four with Takehiro Tomiyasu moving back into the right-back slot, a move that could see one of Cedric or Nuno Tavares play on the left to handle the threat of Dejan Kulusevski.

The options are there with White available, as if he weren’t to make it that would open the possibility of Cedric either taking on Son, or playing on the left.