‘Fear’—Arsenal Learn Expected Ben White Injury Recovery Timeline

Arsenal’s improving defensive injury crisis has reared its head again.

Ben White is the latest Arsenal defender to get injured. / Catherine Ivill/AMA/Getty Images

Arsenal are reported to be concerned that versatile defender Ben White could be sidelined until at least the middle of January through injury.

White suffered a hamstring problem just over half an hour into Saturday’s 2–1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers and had to be replaced. Gunners manager Mikel Arteta was unable to provide much detail in the wake of the game, asking for patience until tests were carried out.

After time to conduct further tests, BBC Sport writes that Arsenal “fear” White’s absence will be for a “minimum of a month” while he recovers from the setback. The best case scenario on that timeline would see the 28-year-old miss seven or eight games across three different competitions. It could also be more.

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Arsenal are in action four more times before the end of December alone, facing Everton in the Premier League on Saturday, before a Carabao Cup quarterfinal against Crystal Palace three days after. Between Christmas and New Year, the Gunners host Brighton & Hove Albion and Aston Villa in successive league fixtures at the Emirates Stadium.

A trip to Portsmouth in the FA Cup third round on Jan. 11 has been added to the calendar among more Premier League commitments against Bournemouth, Liverpool and Nottingham Forest up to Jan. 17—one day over a month from now.

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Arsenal Games Ben White Could Miss

Date	Fixture	Competition
Dec. 20, 2025	Everton vs. Arsenal	Premier League
Dec. 23, 2025	Arsenal vs. Crystal Palace	Carabao Cup
Dec. 27, 2025	Arsenal vs. Brighton	Premier League
Dec. 30, 2025	Arsenal vs. Aston Villa	Premier League
Jan. 3, 2026	Bournemouth vs. Arsenal	Premier League
Jan. 8, 2026	Arsenal vs. Liverpool	Premier League
Jan. 11, 2026	Portsmouth vs. Arsenal	FA Cup
Jan. 17, 2026	Arsenal vs. Nottingham Forest	Premier League

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Arsenal Thrown Back into Defensive Injury Crisis

Things looked like they were getting better for Arteta as far as the availability of defenders was concerned. White, having been an unused sub for much of the season, had suddenly been starting games due to Jurriën Timber being required to cover absences in the centre of defence.

William Saliba returned to the team after injury against Wolves, allowing Piero Hincapié to push over to the left in place of the suspended Riccardo Calafiori. When White left the pitch, Myles Lewis-Skelly, the only defender on the bench, was the chosen replacement.

Calafiori will be back for the weekend, but White’s enforced absence over the coming weeks leaves Arsenal with barely any defensive cover beyond current starters. Gabriel is still not slated to return until at least the end of December, while versatile backup Cristhian Mosquera injured an ankle against Brentford earlier this month and, like White, may not return until mid-January.

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