Arsenal have been dealt a major injury blow ahead of their Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain, with Ben White reportedly ruled out for a significant period.
White appeared close to tears and in some discomfort as he hobbled off the pitch in the first half of Arsenal’s dramatic victory over West Ham, as Mikel Arteta’s men restored their five-point lead at the top of the Premier League table.
Arteta confirmed shortly after the final whistle that White’s injury – sustained during a challenge with Crysencio Summerville – ‘didn’t look good at all’ and the versatile defender was pictured wearing a brace on his right knee as he left the London Stadium.
According to The Sun, White has suffered a suspected MCL injury, set to rule him out of the remainder of the Gunners’ season, both domestically and in Europe, as well as England’s World Cup campaign later this summer – had he been selected.
Arsenal have two all-important league matches remaining against Burnley (May 18) and Crystal Palace (May 24) , before heading to Budapest for this year’s Champions League final versus PSG, the holders, on May 30.
It leaves Arteta with an almighty selection headache at right-back given Jurrien Timber is still yet to return from a groin problem which has kept the Dutchman sidelined for almost two months.
Declan Rice initially dropped back from midfield to fill in on the right side of Arsenal’s defence following White’s withdrawal on Sunday. However, Arteta changed it again at the halfway stage, with Cristhian Mosquera coming on for Riccardo Calafiori and Myles Lewis-Skelly switching to left-back.
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It subsequently came to light that Calafiori also had to be removed due to an unspecified injury concern, though the Italian’s condition is not thought to be overly serious.
‘We had to make another change with Ricci,’ Arteta said of Calafiori’s substitution at half-time.
It’s been a frustrating couple of seasons for White from both a form and fitness perspective, with the former Brighton man unavailable for a total of 28 matches last term due to knee problems.
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Asked for an update on Timber’s injury ahead of Arsenal’s defeat of West Ham, Arteta told reporters: ‘That’s been probably the most difficult thing to manage with the player, with myself as well.
‘We didn’t expect it to take so long, and at the moment, he’s not fit to play.’
Discussing Arsenal’s defensive injury woes on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, former Manchester United midfielderPaul Scholes suggested Rice was perhaps best ‘suited’ to doing a job at right-back.
‘Roy Keane played right-back for two thirds of a season,’ Nicky Butt explained, to which Scholes replied: ‘He played there loads because United had Bryan Robson and Paul Ince.
‘Roy played there loads and was brilliant.
‘Declan Rice looks like he would suit playing at right-back to me. He can play there. He’s not a big creator anyway.’
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