Arsenal hit by more injury misery as Mikel Arteta's side learn extent of Ben White's hamstring problem

White was forced off during the first half of the 2-1 win at the Emirates and was replaced by teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly. The 28-year-old underwent scans on Sunday, which have confirmed a hamstring issue expected to keep him out for around four to five weeks, as reported by BBC Sport. The setback adds to Mikel Arteta’s growing injury concerns, particularly in defence. Arsenal are already short of options at the back, with Cristhian Mosquera ruled out until next month due to an ankle problem, while Gabriel Magalhaes has yet to resume training following a thigh injury.

Jurrien Timber is expected to slot back in at right-back for the upcoming league match against Everton, with Arteta limited in terms of alternatives. Riccardo Calafiori is available again after serving a suspension, offering some relief on the left side after Piero Hincapie's start on Saturday.

White has endured a difficult run with injuries over the past year. He missed a significant portion of last season because of a knee issue and had already suffered a separate hamstring problem earlier in the current campaign. The defender had recently returned to the starting lineup, featuring in Arsenal’s last three Premier League matches as well as the Champions League win away at Club Brugge. In total, he has made 11 appearances this season, with four coming in the top flight.

Arsenal remain without Kai Havertz and Max Dowman, further stretching Arteta’s squad during a busy period in the run-up to the New Year. White’s withdrawal against Wolves came shortly after the half-hour mark, ending a run that followed his return from a spell on the bench, where he had been an unused substitute in ten consecutive league matches before starting against Brentford earlier this month. It was a close call against bottom-placed Wolves at the weekend, with the Gunners struggling even before White was withdrawn. It was a performance that drew a hefty amount of criticism from head coach Mikel Arteta.

He said:  "Yeah, [winning] is at the end of the day, but we knew it was gonna be a tough match, especially if we didn't manage to score early in the game. We had a lot of situations in the first half. One massive big chance for Martinelli, two yards out, totally free, and we don't score. But we struggled once we arrived into those danger zones to pick a red shirt in the box.

"We had many situations, and then we didn't generate many clear chances. In the second half, we did that a bit better, we scored the goal. But then we had periods of three minutes in deep, so passive, really poor defensive habits. Not acceptable for our level because we haven't conceded a single shot until that point. The first time they do it, they score a goal. That's the Premier League.

"We are very much aware of that and have to improve that because at the very end we rely on one individual action, a very chaotic action to score the goal and win the game, and the margin should have been bigger."

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Arsenal’s title push has now reached a familiar crossroads. As we approach the halfway mark of the Premier League season, they are still on track to claim the crown, but two factors continue to loom over their campaign. One is Manchester City, the other is Arsenal’s own inability to keep players fit. For all the money spent and the squad depth assembled, Mikel Arteta has rarely been able to work with a settled group. Injuries have dictated selection far more than form, forcing the manager into short-term fixes rather than long-term planning.

The issue is not necessarily just how many players Arsenal have lost, but where those injuries have landed. Losing one forward, one midfielder and one defender would be manageable. Losing several players in the same position at the same time is far harder to absorb, particularly during a run of league and Champions League fixtures.

When that happens, the load shifts. The players who remain fit are asked to play more often and for longer. Viktor Gyokeres’ run earlier in the season is a good example. With other options unavailable, he carried the attack almost alone before eventually breaking down himself. The same pattern has appeared at centre-back. Once Gabriel was sidelined, those around him were forced into more minutes, and further issues followed. Arteta has already spoken about how quickly this becomes a cycle that is difficult to stop. It is not the first time we have seen a situation like this at Arsenal, and it has been a limiting factor to them winning the league under his tenure. Will history repeat itself?

As the Gunners continue to nurse players back to health, attention turns to their busy schedule once more. They face Everton away on Saturday, the start of a four-game run in the space of 10 days.