Gary Neville has conceded that Ben White ‘struggled’ for Arsenal on Sunday.
The Gunners enhanced their Premier League title credentials with a brilliant 3-2 win over Manchester United.
Eddie Nketiah scored a stoppage-time winner to put Arsenal five points clear of Manchester City once again.
A number of the home players dazzled, not least Nketiah himself.
But White seemed to have difficulties against Marcus Rashford – who opened the scoring – and Mikel Arteta replaced him with Takehiro Tomiyasu at the break.
And Gary Neville, speaking to Sky Sports, has admitted that it was such a ‘brave’ decision by the Spanish manager.
Neville said: “He was brave at half-time Mikel Arteta, because Ben White has been really good this season but he was getting a tough time from Rashford in the first half. He subbed Ben White, he was struggling, but he still made the big decision to do it. He could have left him on and he didn’t do and that was brave.”
The good thing about Arteta is that no one player is bigger than the overall cause.
If the Spaniard has to upset the £50 million defender by taking him off at the break, then he will happily do that if he believes that the change will benefit Arsenal.
And in this instance, you have to say it was an inspired choice.
White will no doubt bounce back because, remember, right-back isn’t even his primary position.
Neville is right in saying that he’s been brilliant this season, but credit to Arteta for identifying the weakness and making the change.
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