Sunderland have now reportedly set their sights on signing a Ligue 1 midfielder, who could yet arrive as a free agent when his current contract expires next summer.

Le Bris: Man City "deserved" win on "difficult" Sunderland day

It shows where Sunderland are at that many expected them to put up more of a fight against Manchester City at the Etihad. Ultimately, however, not even their impressive form could stand in the way of the familiar fate that so many promoted sides have faced in the last nine years.

The Black Cats were pushed aside by the Citizens and manager Regis Le Bris admitted that it was a “difficult” afternoon against Pep Guardiola’s side.

Those in Wearside don’t have time to think too much about their thrashing in Manchester, however, with the first Tyne-Wear derby in the Premier League since 2016 fast approaching.

Victory over Newcastle United would cap off a sensational start to their Premier League return, which has left them in the perfect position to attract further arrivals in January.

The Black Cats have already been linked with moves for the likes of Bailey Rice following reports that the Rangers youngster could be heading for an Ibrox exit.

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Nov 30, 2025

Now, fresh reports have also name-dropped Arthur Avom, as Sunderland set their sights on adding another midfielder to Le Bris’ ranks in 2026.

Sunderland set sights on Avom move

According to Africa Foot, Sunderland are now eyeing a move to sign Avom from FC Lorient with the midfielder set to become a free agent at the end of his current contract next summer.

The 20-year-old does have the option to extend his deal for another year, but Sunderland’s interest could yet put a pin in those plans. What’s more, whilst Strasbourg are also interested in Avom, Le Bris’ links with former club Lorient could yet hand the Black Cats a key advantage against their French competition.

A reported Chelsea target earlier this year, Avom could now get his chance to join the Premier League courtesy of Sunderland. He’s certainly one to watch based on the numbers too. Back in November, the midfielder was even enjoying better passing numbers than Real Madrid’s Arda Guler.

Better than Xhaka: Sunderland flop is one of "the best" in the PL after leaving

Liverpool are now expected to launch a 2026 offer to sign a key defensive reinforcement, who pocketed Cody Gakpo in the Champions League earlier this season.

Salah set to be excluded from Liverpool squad

Just days after his stunning rant, Mohamed Salah is set to be left out of Liverpool’s squad to face Inter Milan, according to reports. The Egyptian left no stone unturned, claiming that the club have thrown him under the bus and revealing that he no longer has a relationship with Arne Slot.

In many ways, he left Slot with no choice but to exclude him. However, Liverpool are still reportedly keen to keep hold of Salah and see his omission as a logical step rather than a punishment.

What happens next is the big question. The arrival of AFCON should at least take the headlines elsewhere, but when Salah returns Liverpool have a problem on their hands.

The 33-year-old is arguably the best player to ever play for Liverpool in the Premier League, but Anfield chiefs are unlikely to pick any star over their manager at this stage.

Related Salah replacement: Liverpool keen to sign "one of the best wingers in Europe"

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There is reported interest from the MLS and the Saudi Pro League, coupled with Liverpool’s own interest in Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, which could result in a big January shake-up.

Alas, the Reds also have other problems to solve. They’ve been far below expectations this season, it’s not just been Salah. Far from it, in fact, and have already set their sights on welcoming the likes of Wilfried Singo as a result.

Liverpool expected to launch Wilfried Singo offer

According to Fotomac, as relayed by Sport Witness, Liverpool are expected to launch an offer to sign Singo worth as much as €43m (£38m) in 2026.

The Premier League champions could reportedly offer €28m (£25m), plus a maximum of €15m (£13m) in potential bonuses. It would, therefore, be a hefty offer but one they should pursue to solve their right-back problem.

Slot should be well aware of the 24-year-old’s quality too, given that he pocketed Gakpo in Liverpool’s 1-0 defeat against Galatasaray earlier this season.

The right-back made four recoveries, four clearances and won over half of his ground duels. Gakpo, meanwhile, was hooked after 62 minutes, having failed to take a single shot.

Whilst concerns surround Salah’s situation and Liverpool’s need for a centre-back, the right-back position has also become a problem. Neither Conor Bradley nor Jeremie Frimpong have truly claimed it thanks to form and injuries, with Dominik Szoboszlai often filling in, and Slot needs a permanent fix.

Liverpool join race to sign Konate replacement who's "an insane centre-back"

يرى جناح إنجلترا السابق، أندروس تاونسند، أن النجم المصري محمد صلاح لن يتعامل مع مسألة تهميشه من المباريات وإبعاده عن التشكيل الأساسي لفريق ليفربول بشكل سهل على الإطلاق.

ويستعد ليفربول لخوض مباراة في إطار منافسات الجولة الرابعة عشر من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، مساء يوم الأربعاء، ضد فريق سندرلاند على ملعب “الأنفيلد”.

وخاض ليفربول مباراة في الجولة الثالثة عشر من الدوري الإنجليزي، يوم الأحد الماضي، ضد وست هام على ملعب “لندن الأولمبي” حيث حقق حامل اللقب فوزًا بهدفين دون رد بعد فترة كارثية مؤخرًا.

ولم يشارك محمد صلاح في مباراة ليفربول ووست هام حيث كان متواجدًا على دكة بدلاء الريدز، ولم يدفع به المدرب آرني سلوت في أي من دقائقها.

وقال تاونسند، في تصريحات مقتضبة نشرتها شبكة “بي بي سي” العالمية: “أعتقد أن محمد صلاح سيأخذ الأمر على محمل شخصي، أفضل لاعبي العالم يرغبون في المشاركة في كل دقيقة من كل مباراة”.

كان آرني سلوت قد ظهر في مؤتمر صحفي اليوم للحديث عن مباراة ليفربول وسندرلاند، حيث أكد في تصريحاته أنه من الطبيعي أن يشعر محمد صلاح بعدم الرضا تجاه تواجده على دكة البدلاء كونه محترفًا من الطراز العالمي (لمطالعة التفاصيل من هنا).

Chelsea are suffering their typical wintry blues at the moment, having gone four games without a win since thrashing Barcelona in the Champions League.

There’s no question that Enzo Maresca has stabilised and advanced the BlueCo project at Stamford Bridge, but, with words from the horse’s mouth, “there are many, many things that I need to learn.”

A key theme this season has been the injury suffering of Cole Palmer, who has not scored in the Premier League since September.

Chelsea need a foil, and they are lining up the perfect up-and-coming talent to contest with the Three Lions star for a starting berth.

Chelsea lining up Palmer replacement

After Chelsea let Kevin De Bruyne go way back, the Belgian became one of the greatest players of his generation. In Palmer, they have landed a playmaker who could replace the former Manchester City man as the division’s staple.

However, the 23-year-old’s absence this term has been keenly felt, and Maresca and the Blues’ sporting directors recognise the need for an alternative option.

They have earmarked such a profile in AZ Alkmaar’s fast-rising star Kees Smit, with inews’ Mark Douglas suggesting that Chelsea are leading the race for the 19-year-old.

Liverpool and Newcastle have also been named as suitors, with the latter considering a January bid, but Chelsea are considered the favourites to land his signature, with a figure of £25m mooted.

Why Chelsea want Kees Smit

Smit may be at the start of his career, but already he has established himself as a talent with the capacity to thrive at one of Europe’s most prestigious outfits.

And given Chelsea’s talent ID when it comes to plucking out elite-level prospects, it could be a match made in heaven, also serving symbolically as rectification after that fumbled De Bruyne chapter.

Smit’s creativity and ability to play in deep-lying and advanced midfield berths have actually seen him likened to the 34-year-old, who left Man City and joined Napoli last summer.

Looking at the AZ starlet’s dynamism and high baseline when it comes to his playmaking, it’s not hard to see why that is.

Matches (starts)

14 (14)

4 (3)

Goals

2

0

Assists

2

2

Shots (on target)*

1.4 (0.2)

2.0 (0.8)

Touches*

62.6

73.0

Accurate passes*

42.7 (89%)

50.8 (87%)

Chances created*

1.8

1.8

Succ. dribbles*

0.9

2.0

Tackles + interceptions*

1.8

2.8

Duels won*

3.5

5.5

Already, he is establishing himself against his peers, outstripping them. FBref data shows that the Dutchman ranks among the top 9% of Eredivisie midfielders this season for pass completion, the top 13% for shot-creating actions and the top 7% for successful take-ons per 90.

Smit will only get better. Analyst Ben Mattinson has already scouted out his “world-class potential”, and his growth over the past two years in his homeland has done little – if anything – to suggest the contrary.

The teenager’s strength and intelligence and technical skill all work in alliance, and he has already shown he has what it takes to stand out against Premier League opposition, shining against Crystal Palace in the Conference League this year.

Would Chelsea be wise to wait and see how this up-and-comer continues to develop? Perhaps, but with a host of suitors lining up, time is not on the west Londoners’ side; if they want to snap him up, they must do so in January, beating off the likes of Newcastle and landing a player who could become a leading member of Maresca’s project down the line.

Maresca was quizzed on Chelsea’s reliance on Palmer’s output last season, when the England superstar was going through fitness problems.

He relayed to reporters that the Stamford Bridge side needed to break away from that one-man team identity. They are doing so, and with Smit, that would only develop further.

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MatériaMais Notícias

O Fluminense terá um reforço importante para o jogo decisivo contra o Vasco, neste domingo (14), no Maracanã, pela volta da semifinal da Copa do Brasil. Suspenso na ida, Canobbio retorna ao time titular e devolve ao técnico Luis Zubeldía uma peça-chave de intensidade e transição, exatamente os pontos que fizeram falta na derrota por 2 a 1.

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➡️ CBF divulga arbitragem para jogo de volta entre Fluminense e Vasco

Na partida de ida, o Tricolor caiu de rendimento no segundo tempo e foi dominado após sofrer o gol de empate logo no início da etapa final. A ausência de Canobbio pesou sobretudo na pressão pós-perda e na proteção dos lados do campo.

Com a volta do uruguaio, Zubeldía tende a manter a estrutura base e recuperar o equilíbrio entre defesa e ataque, apostando novamente em um time mais agressivo sem a bola e capaz de acelerar as transições ofensivas.

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Existe ainda a possibilidade do retorno de Hércules ao time titular. Nos úlitmos jogos, a posição ao lado de Martinelli foi tomada por Nonato, que ainda é o favorito para aparecer no time titular. Uma novidade, mas no banco de reservas, pode ser Cano. O atacante voltou a treinar com o grupo após se recuperar de uma lesão no joelho.

Provável escalação do Fluminense

Fábio; Samuel Xavier, Thiago Silva, Freytes e Renê; Martinelli, Nonato (Hércules) e Lucho Acosta; Canobbio, Kevin Serna e Everaldo.

Além do aspecto tático, o retorno de Canobbio também impacta a parte física. Diferentemente da semana passada, quando o Vasco poupou no Brasileirão e o Fluminense foi a campo com força máxima contra o Bahia, agora as equipes chegam com tempo de descanso igual, o que pode reduzir a diferença sentida no segundo tempo da ida.

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Zubeldía reconheceu após o clássico que o confronto é de 180 minutos e que ajustes serão necessários para o segundo jogo. A presença de Canobbio surge como uma resposta direta às críticas pela queda de intensidade, apontada inclusive por Thiago Silva na saída de campo.

➡️ Tudo sobre o Tricolor agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Fluminense

Olho no domingo!

As equipes voltam a se enfrentar no próximo domingo (14), às 20h30, novamente no Maracanã, pelo jogo de volta da semifinal. Uma vitória do Fluminense por um gol leva a decisão para os pênaltis, enquanto o triunfo por dois ou mais gols garante vaga direta na final. Empate ou nova vitória do Vasco classificam o Cruz-Maltino.

Tudo sobre

Copa do BrasilFluminenseLuis Zubeldía

Led by Jadeja’s four-for, India reduced South Africa to effectively 63 for 7 with three days to go in the game

Sidharth Monga15-Nov-20252:14

What to make of the Eden Gardens surface?

India started the second day 122 runs behind in the first innings with nine wickets in hand. Less than six dramatic hours of cricket later, they were sensing a win, having reduced South Africa to effectively 63 for 7 in their second innings. Fifteen wickets fell on the day, Shubman Gill retired with a neck spasm, 39 remained the top score in the Test, and 57 the top partnership. This was the lowest top score in the first two innings of a Test in India, and the lowest in any Test since Durban 2010-11 between the same sides.Absolutely nobody predicted the pitch would turn out to be so difficult to bat on. It looked like a normal Indian track, good for batting for first two days, but the top surface began to come off in the second half of the first day. On the second day, it became near unplayable. Even the fast bowlers drew generous help to take 11 of the 26 wickets to fall.The pitch might seem at odds with India’s public utterances after the series loss to New Zealand last year that they want to play on more balanced surfaces, but commentator Dinesh Karthik said on air that it was not watered on the day before the Test, which comes across as unusual.Related

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What wasn’t unusual was that the best player on this moving day was Ravindra Jadeja, who scored 27 largely trouble-free runs before his old-fashioned technique of hiding the bat behind the pad got him out lbw to Simon Harmer.Harmer himself showed all the hype was real, that he is now a vastly improved bowler to the one that showed up in India 10 years ago, taking 4 for 30 to keep South Africa in arrears of only 30 after being bowled out for 159 on the first day. Jadeja, though, showed 30 was plenty with an unerring unbroken spell of 13-3-29-4 as South Africa ended the day on 93 for 7.When the day began, and indeed even after the wicketless first hour, it looked like India were setting themselves up for a decisive first-innings lead. KL Rahul, the top-scorer in the match, and India’s new No. 3 Washington Sundar put together the joint-highest partnership of the match. Introduced only in the second hour of the day, Harmer produced immediate results, turning one past Washington’s edge and the next onto the edge.KL Rahul was the top-scorer of the match after the second day•AFP/Getty Images

At 75 for 2, India were 84 behind South Africa, still a comfortable position to be in. Gill, whose neck seemed to be in some discomfort in the morning warm-ups, then went into a spasm as soon as he swept Harmer for four.While Rahul, Rishabh Pant and Jadeja – 39, 27 and 27 – looked good in their own individual ways, the eventual wicket-taking delivery was always around the corner. Rahul made the mistake of following Keshav Maharaj’s extravagant turn, Jadeja was done in by the natural variation, and Pant fell to extra bounce for Corbin Bosch.Maharaj will be disappointed he went at over four an over, but the combination of Harmer and Marco Jansen made light of India’s batting depth, which generally is the case on such pitches. In Kagiso Rabada’s absence, Jansen’s analysis of 15-4-35-3 kept South Africa alive in the Test. India lost their last four wickets for 36.By the time India started bowling for the second time, with a little over half an hour to tea on day two, it made complete sense to open with spin. Jasprit Bumrah, who got a five-for in the first innings, did open the bowling, and from the end where bowlers had generated uneven bounce, but it wasn’t long before South Africa were facing spin from both ends with little breathing time or space.Kuldeep Yadav took the wicket of Ryan Rickelton with what turned out to be the last ball of the middle session, one that didn’t turn and also had the batter playing back when he should have been forward.Ravindra Jadeja spun a web around South Africa•AFP/Getty Images

Pant, captaining in Gill’s absence, immediately brought on Jadeja, the fingerspinner who could accurately bowl at high pace, on at this end. As it often happens on such difficult pitches, the wicket-taking deliveries don’t look that threatening but the ones around them scramble batters’ brains. And so it looked like Aiden Markram should not have checked his sweep, but he did because this ball from Jadeja stopped on him. Tony de Zorzi reverse-swept the first ball he played but the next one jumped on him, making for an easy bat-pad catch.Wiaan Mulder tested Jadeja’s patience, but Jadeja eventually produced the edge with the big-turning delivery. Tristan Stubbs was worked over with subtle changes in the angle, with Jadeja finally going wide on the crease, angling the ball in, and then turning it away past the edge to take the off stump.Kyle Verreynne copped flak for trying to slog-sweep Axar Patel, but there weren’t many scoring opportunities on that pitch with in-out fields. A similar attacking strategy came off for Jansen for a while as he scored 13 but even he get a feather on a sweep off Kuldeep.The catching of both sides remained sensational with Rahul capping the day off with a low slip catch off a deflection of the keeper Pant. Temba Bavuma defended well and threw in the occasional sweep to end the day unbeaten on 29 off 78, but it seemed he still had a lot to do with the bat to give South Africa a shot at a win.

Bangladesh allrounder Shakib Al Hasan has revealed that he had been bowling with an illegal action “a little bit intentionally” when he was reported for a suspect action and subsequently suspended after his county stint with Surrey in 2024.Shakib had been suspended from bowling in all competitions organised by the ECB after his action was found illegal at an independent testing at Loughborough University in December last year. As per the ICC’s regulations, his suspension was automatically enforced in international cricket.”I think I was doing it a little bit intentionally because I bowled more than 70 overs [in one match],” Shakib told the podcast. “I never bowled 70 overs in my career in a Test match. I was playing that four-day match for Surrey against Somerset in Taunton. I was so tired.Related

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“I played back-to-back Test matches in Pakistan. We won that series and then I went to play those four-day matches. The only thing I was thinking the umpire could have done was just warn me first, at least. But it is in the rules, so they had the right. I didn’t complain.”I went to do the test, I failed. And then I saw my test. I was like, ‘okay, so these things are happening’. Then I had to train for a couple of weeks so I went back to Surrey again and they were kind enough to help me. I did two sessions and I was back to normal. I was like, ‘it’s so easy’.”Shakib played just one game for Surrey last season and bowled 63.2 overs, split into 33.5 and 29.3 overs across the two innings. He was later cleared to bowl earlier this year after he gave his third bowling assessment test at Loughborough University in the UK. In the meantime he had failed a second bowling test in Chennai, after which the BCB selectors didn’t pick him for the Champions Trophy, even the board had clarified he was available to play as a batter in all forms of domestic and international cricket.

“If that’s what is needed to win a Test match and if that’s what’s required then, yeah, I’m fine with it,” Travis Head says

Matt Roller30-Nov-20253:17

Smith: Travis Head’s batting incredible to witness

Travis Head is “happy” to continue opening the batting after his match-winning century in the first Ashes Test, echoing Pat Cummins’ view that batting orders are “over-rated”. His comments come amid continued uncertainty over Usman Khawaja’s fitness and his future as an international cricketer.Head has been Australia’s first-choice No. 5 for the last four years but deputised at the top of the order in the second innings in Perth last week, with Khawaja off the field following back spasms. His stunning 123 off 83 balls helped Australia chase down a fourth-innings target of 205 in just 28.2 overs, taking a 1-0 lead into Thursday’s second Test at the Gabba.Khawaja, who turns 39 next month, has been retained in Australia’s 14-man squad and said this week that he “should be right” to play. But he has been given no guarantees over his place by selectors, and has come under significant scrutiny after averaging 31.84 in the last two years with a single century.Related

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Australia’s squad assembled in Brisbane on Sunday and Head said before their training session that his role for the second Test had not yet been discussed. But he made it clear that he was open-minded about staying at the top of the order. “I’m happy,” he said. “If that’s what is needed to win a Test match and if that’s what’s required then, yeah, I’m fine with it.”I’m preparing for anything at this stage… There’s a fair bit to work through. I’ve just got here. We haven’t really had many conversations over the last week. It’s been about just spending some time out of the game as much as you can. You don’t get much time to chill out in a massive series like this, where it’s pretty full-on every single day.”Andrew McDonald revealed after the Perth Test that his Australia side had previously considered using different openers in each innings of a match, and Head said that he was “open” to the idea. “We’ve talked about that a lot: how you get there, and what personnel we have to be able to potentially do that and the personalities in the line-up,” he said. “You’ve seen it a little bit in the T20 team as well, where we’re trying to push the boundaries in power-hitting, and [asking] do we take singles at certain stages… I feel like I can play in any role, so I’m open to it, and it’s just trying to work out in-game and in moments when that may come out and when you may use that.”All options are on the table and have been for a long period of time about where this team can potentially get better, and where there’s opportunities to potentially win games of cricket in moments. It’s always been on the table.”Head was in agreement with Cummins, who is set to miss the second Test in Brisbane because of his ongoing back stress concerns, saying, “I agree with Pat. I think you could use this order and these players in a range of different ways and whatever ways that is to win games of cricket.”We’ve seen it in red-ball [Tests] but particularly probably pink-ball [Tests] as well. Non-traditional stuff, with double nightwatchmen, how you use orders, and how you use players in certain situations. So I agree with Pat that I think they’re slightly over-rated… It’s ever-evolving, and we’ll see where we get to.”

Former Manchester City player Joey Barton has received a suspended sentence for 'grossly offensive' social media posts to football pundits Eni Aluko and Lucy Ward and broadcaster Jeremy Vine. The 43-year-old was handed a six-month prison sentence, which is suspended for 18 months. The ex-Newcastle United man claims that he "never meant to hurt anyone" with his electronic communications.

• Barton found guilty by jury

  In November, Barton was found guilty of sending 'grossly offensive' social media posts, where he called Vine a "bike nonce" and compared Ward and Aluko to serial killer couple Fred and Rose West on X. Jurors at Liverpool Crown Court found that he had "crossed the line between free speech and a crime" on six counts after being charged with 12 counts of sending a grossly offensive electronic communications with intent to cause distress or anxiety back in January 2024.

  At the trial, Barton said: "It was not meant to call him a paedophile. It was a bad, dark, juvenile joke. I have not at any point tried to cause distress or anxiety or risk his life or his daughters' lives. I don't want people to fear for their lives, I'm a dad. I cannot believe I'm on trial for this. Words on a social media site."

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• Getty/GOAL
  

  Barton avoids jail term

  The former Bristol Rovers manager was handed an 18-month suspended sentence, which means he will not serve any time behind bars unless he reoffends in that period. He was given six months each for two offences against Aluko and four months for each of the four counts related to Vine and Ward. At the sentencing, Judge Andrew Menary KC also ordered Barton to perform 200 hours of unpaid community work and pay more than £20,000 in costs. 

  After leaving court, Barton told The BBC: "If I could turn back the clock I would. I never meant to hurt anyone. It was a joke that got out of hand. Nobody wants to go to jail."

• 'Sustained campaign of online abuse'

  The judge added that targeting individuals online, in the way Barton did, falls outside the realm of freedom of speech. 

  He told the court: "Robust debate, satire, mockery and even crude language may fall within permissible free speech. But when posts deliberately target individuals with vilifying comparisons to serial killers or false insinuations of paedophilia, designed to humiliate and distress, they forfeit their protection. As the jury concluded, your offences exemplify behaviour that is beyond this limit – amounting to a sustained campaign of online abuse that was not mere commentary but targeted, extreme and deliberately harmful."

  Menary added that he was satisfied that Barton's custodial terms did not have to be "served immediately" and he had faith he could change his ways for good.

  He said: "In light of the steps you have taken, I am persuaded that there is some prospect of rehabilitation – that an immediate custodial sentence is not required to protect either the public or the victims. A suspended sentence order may – may – itself operate as a deterrent against any future defending by you."

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  What now for Barton?

  Two-year restraining orders were issued against each of Barton's victims, which includes publishing any reference to them on any social media or broadcast platform.

  After the verdict, Vine added: "I'm happy the case is over. Joey Barton has been made to pay a lot for his disgusting lies and abuse, but I fear he'll keep offending until the day he dies."

  Cheshire Police said they hoped this case would deter others from sharing "abusive and hateful messages" online going forward.

  "Barton's posts would have been seen by hundreds, if not thousands of people, and yet he showed no regard or consideration for how this would impact on his victims and their wellbeing. The sentence handed to him today comes with a number of strict conditions and should he breach these in any way he may face the prospect of time behind bars," said the police spokesperson.

Mikel Arteta has admitted it is "not good news" for Arsenal after Ben White limped off with a hamstring problem during the win over Wolves, raising fresh concerns in a squad already stretched by defensive injuries. White had only recently returned to fitness but now faces another spell out, deepening the Gunners’ mounting fitness crisis as a hectic December schedule looms.

White suffers hamstring injury in Arsenal's 2-1 win over Wolves

Arsenal were dealt another significant defensive setback as White was forced off in the first half of their dramatic 2-1 victory against Wolves at Emirates Stadium. The right-back, starting his fourth consecutive match after a long injury lay-off, clutched his hamstring while chasing a counter-attack and signalled that he could not continue. Myles Lewis-Skelly replaced him around the half-hour mark in a match that Arsenal ultimately won through two Wolves own goals.

White’s absence comes at a time when Arsenal are already coping with injuries to Gabriel Magalhaes and Cristhian Mosquera, among others. His return to the starting XI had been a welcome reinforcement, particularly with Jurrien Timber having established himself as first-choice right-back earlier in the season. Yet it seems this game was a bridge too far for White.

The match itself highlighted both Arsenal’s resilience and vulnerability, with Wolves equalising late before another own goal secured three points. Arsenal moved five points clear at the top of the Premier League, recovering quickly from last weekend’s defeat at Aston Villa. However, the victory was overshadowed by renewed doubts over defensive depth, with Arteta calling the news on White "bad" and emphasising the physical toll on his squad.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportArteta issues worrying update regarding White's injury

Arteta did not hide his concern when asked about White’s condition, admitting the early signs were troubling. "He felt something in his hamstring and it is not good news," he said, confirming the injury was likely linked to White’s sudden increase in minutes after recovering from a knee issue. Arteta stressed that the defender had been pushed into a heavy workload because Arsenal simply "didn’t have any other solution" in recent matches.

The manager expanded on the wider trend, noting the club is caught in what he previously described as a "really dangerous circle" with injuries piling up across the squad. "Exactly that," he explained when asked whether White’s setback stemmed from the current squeeze on resources, adding that the defender had only just regained momentum.

Arteta also emphasised that the issue was not caused by overtraining but by the relentless match schedule combined with a thinning squad. He pointed out that players such as Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, and Leandro Trossard have all missed key periods recently, forcing others into increased responsibility. In White’s case, Arteta acknowledged the risk had backfired: "That’s Ben for sure," he concluded, signalling a likely spell on the sidelines.

Arsenal suffering from massive defensive injury crisis

White’s injury comes at a delicate juncture for Arsenal, who have battled persistent defensive disruption throughout the campaign. White, once one of the Premier League’s most reliable ever-present defenders, has endured a fragmented season due to knee and fitness problems, along with Timber's stellar form. His return to the starting XI had been an attempt to stabilise a back line already stretched by absences, but the sudden intensity of recent fixtures appears to have taken a toll.

Arsenal’s defenders have endured a demanding workload as the club navigates Premier League, Champions League, and domestic cup commitments. Saliba and Gabriel have each faced periods of uncertainty, while Timber has emerged strongly but cannot be relied upon alone during such a congested fixture list. The pressure on fringe and youth players continues to grow, with Lewis-Skelly’s early introduction against Wolves reflecting the circumstances forced upon Arteta.

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AFPArsenal waiting to learn about White's injury period

Arsenal now face an anxious wait to learn the severity of White’s hamstring injury, with initial assessments suggesting he could miss several upcoming fixtures. The team finally has a brief window of rest before travelling to Everton on December 20, offering some time for recovery and recalibration. However, the schedule intensifies again with a Carabao Cup quarter-final against Crystal Palace followed by league matches against Brighton and Aston Villa before the end of the month.

The club’s medical and coaching staff now face the challenge of managing workloads more delicately while navigating a period where squad depth is already stretched thin. January reinforcements may become increasingly tempting if defensive issues persist, though the immediate priority is restoring balance with the players currently available. For now, Arsenal will hope the news on White – described by Arteta as "not good" – proves less damaging than feared.