Arsenal suffer second injury blow after Ben White as Mikel Arteta issues unexpected update

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has revealed that Riccardo Calafiori's substitution against West Ham United was enforced, and Ben White's genu "does not look good".

The Gunners took different elephantine measurement towards Premier League glory successful Sunday's frenetic 1-0 triumph implicit the Irons astatine the London Stadium, wherever Leandro Trossard struck the decisive extremity precocious on.

Arteta's men survived a heart-in-mouth infinitesimal close astatine the death, erstwhile Callum Wilson's injury-time equaliser was ruled retired for a foul connected David Raya, who was being impeded by some Pablo and Jean-Clair Todibo.

The Arsenal brag had been incapable to bring connected different defender successful the last moments, having utilized up each of his 5 substitutions earlier successful the game, including Ben White's first-half withdrawal owed to a genu injury.

Martin Zubimendi's instauration led to Declan Rice moving to right-back, a alteration that disrupted Arsenal's flow, and Arteta rectified that by swapping retired Calafiori for Cristhian Mosquera and putting Myles Lewis-Skelly astatine left-back.

Arsenal's Riccardo Calafiori suffers wounded successful West Ham win

At the time, Calafiori's withdrawal was believed to person been tactical, Arteta making amends for his ineffective White-Zubimendi substitution earlier successful the game.

However, the Arsenal manager made the unexpected revelation successful his post-game property league that Calafiori had to beryllium taken disconnected owed to injury, though helium did not contented immoderate further details.

"We person the Ben White injury, we person to marque an accommodation there. Then aft fractional clip we had to marque different 1 with Riccy's injury," Arteta said.

The Gunners brag was past pressed for a circumstantial update connected White, who wounded his genu successful a 50-50 with Crysencio Summerville and had to beryllium helped astir the perimeter of the tract by a physio arsenic helium limped towards the bench.

White was seen making his mode done the mixed portion with a genu brace, but nary crutches, offering anticipation that helium had avoided a serious, World Cup-threatening injury.

However, Arteta - who could already beryllium without Jurrien Timber for the remainder of the play owed to a groin occupation - had nary affirmative update to stock astatine afloat time.

"We don't cognize but it doesn't look bully astatine all," the 44-year-old said. "He needs immoderate further investigating time astir apt and I volition cognize a spot more."

Is Ben White's Arsenal vocation nearing an end?

White has go synonymous with genu injuries since the commencement of past season, and today's occupation is his 4th abstracted genu contented implicit the past 2 campaigns, including his cognition towards the extremity of 2024.

The England planetary has besides been beset by knocks and hamstring injuries successful 2025-26, though his beingness has inactive been important owed to Timber's unexpectedly agelong lack since the March planetary break.

The knowing with Bukayo Saka whitethorn inactive beryllium there, but White has ne'er managed to regain the signifier that made him specified a deed during his archetypal 3 years astatine Arsenal, acknowledgment partially owed to his deficiency of a accordant tally successful the side.

However, amid reports that Arsenal person agreed presumption with Newcastle United's Tino Livramento, 28-year-old White - whose Gunners woody expires successful 2 seasons - could go surplus to requirements if his fittingness concerns bash not easiness significantly.