Why Ben White is not in Arsenal’s squad for Burnley match

Mikel Arteta was forced to make a change to his starting line-up for Saturday’s game against Burnley (Picture: Getty)

Mikel Arteta was forced to leave Ben White out of his Arsenal squad for Saturday’s home game against Burnley.

The versatile defender has been a mainstay of the side this season, particularly in light of the serious injury sustained by summer signing Jurrien Timber on the opening day of the season.

White had been expected to continue at right-back against the Clarets but Arteta revealed he had been nursing an injury which he picked up against Sevilla in midweek.

Takehiro Tomiyasu, instead, was selected at right-back having featured on the opposite flank at Newcastle last weekend with Oleksandr Zinchenko back in the Premier League starting line-up.

Experienced right-back Cedirc Soares, meanwhile, failed to make the bench as a result of illness.

Arteta said: ‘Ben White finished the game against Sevilla with some issues and hasn’t had enough time to recover.

‘Cedric [Soares[ has been ill and hasn’t made the squad today.’

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Captain Martin Odegaard was again absent with a hip injury while Eddie Nketiah was fit enough to make the substitutes bench.

That meant a place up front against for Leandro Trossard, who scored the opening goal against Sevilla, while Bukayo Saka overcame a fitness scare to take up his customary place on the right wing.

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Arsenal can’t field a settled line-up at the moment.