Arsenal: Mikel Arteta explains Ben White decision after right-back named on bench against Man City | OneFootball

White was surprisingly left out of the Arsenal team at the Etihad

Mikel Arteta has explained his decision to drop Ben White for their showdown with Manchester City.

White was named on the Arsenal bench at the Etihad Stadium, with Jurrien Timber starting at right-back and £42million signing Riccardo Calafiori in at left-back for his first Premier League start.

White last started a Premier League game on the bench for Arsenal in May 2022.

He had started every Premier League game he had featured in for the past two seasons.

White is fit enough to be in the Arsenal squad against Man City

Arsenal FC via Getty Images

Timber impressed at left-back against Tottenham and Atalanta but switches to right-back.

Explaining his decision to name White on the bench against City, Arteta said: “It was a little bit forced, but we are ok.

“We've done it with different players but we have full belief in the players we have. It gives us something different.”

In the absence of the injured Martin Odegaard at the Etihad, Arteta named Bukayo Saka as the Arsenal captain.

Saka has only worn the armband once before, against Sheffield United in October 2023.

Odegaard is set to be on the sidelines for the foreseeable future with the ankle injury he sustained playing for Norway during the recent international break.