Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta believes Ben White is now ‘feeling perfect’ again after making a steady return from his injury ahead of their trip to Luton Town on Tuesday.
The 26-year-old is among the Gunners’ most important men after establishing himself in the right-back role. But Arteta has not started White in any match since Arsenal beat Sevilla 2-0. He has since only appeared from the bench over recent weeks after sustaining a knee injury.
White was a shock omission as Arsenal beat Burnley prior to the last international break due to the injury. Arteta has since restricted the defender to brief appearances against Brentford and Wolves in the Premier League plus a full half in a Champions League tie against RC Lens.
Mikel Arteta gives an update on Arsenal ace Ben White’s injury
A return to Arteta’s starting line-up might now be on the cards for White as Arsenal prepare to visit Luton Town. The Emirates Stadium side go to Kenilworth Road on Tuesday night. It is not a happy hunting ground for the Gunners, though, having failed to win their last 10 visits.
Arteta could decide to bring White back into his line-up over Takehiro Tomiyasu after stating that the four-cap England international is now fully fit again. The Arsenal coach claims White is in contention to start at Luton Town in part thanks to them carefully managing his return.
“After the injury and the way we managed his load, he’s feeling perfect – back to fitness and he played some minutes,” Arteta said, via quotes by football.london. “He’s in a good place.”
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Mikel Arteta is now likely to start Ben White at Luton Town
White had started in each of Arsenal’s first 11 Premier League fixtures this season before the injury. He also opened three of their first four Champions League ties, the Community Shield and their two Carabao Cup clashes. All but three of his appearances came as the right-back.
Arteta started the Premier League season by fielding White as a centre-half. But he restored the £50m defender to his now-normalised right-back role at the start of September. Arteta is likely to recall White over Tomiyasu as Arsenal meet Luton Town given his injury claims, too.
If White is fully fit again, having only played 12 minutes in the Premier League since Arsenal controversially lost at Newcastle United, Arteta has no reason not to recall his first-choice at Luton Town. Tomiyasu has faired well in White’s void but not enough to be their first-choice.