Ben White injury: Will Arsenal defender be fit to play against Everton this weekend?
Arsenal’s injured stars will not be rushed back into the fold - despite a busy fixture schedule.
The Gunners’ lead in the Premier League has narrowed to just two points, with Manchester City and Aston Villa hot on their heels.
A minor injury crisis has not helped Arsenal’s cause, with regular starters up and down the pitch missing some of the team’s most recent games. The likes of Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber have been absent due to illness and injury in the past few weeks.
While those two are now back in the fray, there are other key players who have still been ruled out for this weekend’s clash with Everton, while one remains a doubt.
Forward Kai Havertz is still recovering from a hamstring injury, and won’t feature in Mikel Arteta’s side for the forseeable future. Defensive duo Gabriel Magalhaes and Christhian Mosquera are still sidelined with long-term injuries. The former is back in training, although Mosquera’s return is further down the line.
But it’s Ben White who would be back on the pitch the soonest. The English defender has a hamstring injury but could be fit for the Everton game.
However, manager Arteta confirmed he won’t be rushing players back into the squad.
At a press conference today (Friday, December 19) he said: “It's not a major injury but it will keep him [Ben White] out for a few games. It's not a major problem, he's a really fast healer so let's hope to have him after the next few games.
“Gabriel is pushing hard, as he does. He's doing sessions, he's not too far. We have to see how he progresses but we are quite positive.”