Arsenal defender Ben White has undergone minor knee surgery to fix a problem that could keep him out for the rest of the year.
The defender has started the Gunners’ last two games, against Chelsea and Inter Milan, but was only fit enough to start on the bench in the 1-0 defeat at Newcastle on November 2.
“It’s a little bit of a problem, so he defended him,” said Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta ahead of the Magpies clash.
White also missed games against Leicester, PSG and Southampton earlier in the season, while he was a substitute in the 2-2 draw at Manchester City on September 22.
The Gunners are still without Riccardo Calafiori, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Kieran Tierney through injury, while Jurrien Timber has only recently returned from a muscular problem.
The Gunners also have to deal with injuries to Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and Mikel Merino, while Declan Rice, William Saliba and Leandro Trossard are also suspend.
Arteta says he is praying Arsenal’s injury crisis is over after a nightmare eight weeks following Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Chelsea which left them nine points behind leaders Liverpool.
The game saw further injuries, with Saka and Rice substituted in the second half and both subsequently withdrawing from the England squad.
White’s surgery comes ahead of a busy schedule UFABET for Arsenal, who are due to return to action after the international break with a home game against Nottingham Forest on Saturday, November 23.
They then face Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League on Tuesday, November 26, before travelling to West Ham on Saturday, November 30 and at home to Manchester United on Wednesday, December 4.