Ben White reveals the Arsenal star he avoids in training and responds to ‘over-celebrating’ accusations

Ben White has been integral to Arsenal’s Premier League title challenge (Picture: Getty)

Ben White admits there is one Arsenal teammate he ‘doesn’t want to go near’ in training, while the defender has responded to criticism aimed at the squad for ‘over-celebrating’.

White has been integral to Arsenal’s Premier League title challenge, featuring in all but one of the club’s 31 league games this season.

The 26-year-old, who came through at Brighton before joining the Gunners in 2021, is a fierce competitor despite his relaxed demeanor, though he probably took his will to win too far during a recent match in which he appeared to try to get former teammate Pervis Estupinan sent off.

Mikel Arteta’s training sessions are notoriously intense and competitive but White says players ‘have to be clever’ to avoid potentially injuring each other.

‘I think we all have an understanding,’ White told Arsenal’s official website. ‘I play against Gabriel Martinelli every day in training for example, and to be honest I don’t want to go too near to him most of the time, but at the same time we have to keep it competitive.

‘But you know there is a line, and it’s the same for everyone. We all come up against the same people each day, and there’s like an unwritten rule that you don’t go in too hard for a 50-50 or something like that. You can save those for the weekend!

‘Every day me and Martinelli have a one v one battle, but then as soon as the session is over our relationship is so good. You do your best and give everything when you are training, but you need to look after each other too, you have to be clever.’

Martinelli has battled a couple of injury setbacks since arriving at Arsenal in 2019 but, like White, has been a key and reliable performer for Arteta this season.

White, who recently caused controversy by opting out of international duty, also responded to the criticism Arsenal have faced for ‘over-celebrating’.

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The likes of Jamie Carragher, Gary Neville and Roy Keane have suggested Arsenal over-celebrate after wins but White says it simply reflects the team’s desire to go on and win the Premier League for the first time in 20 years.

Arteta’s side are top with seven games remaining but sit level on points with Liverpool and just one above defending champions Manchester City.

‘Yeah, that’s natural for us,’ White said when asked about Arsenal’s celebrations. ‘It matters so much to us. And also we’re getting closer to the end of the season, when every game, every goal is so important.

‘You see what it means to us when we score. We are all happy for whoever it is who has scored, because we are all trying to achieve the same thing.

Arsenal have been accused of ‘over-celebrating’ (Picture: Getty)

‘That’s with the fans as well. I can definitely feel that togetherness with our supporters, and we love to share those big moments with them.

‘We need them behind us even more at this stage of the season, and the atmosphere has been crazily good lately at the Emirates. They give us the belief as well when we need it – like that half-time against Brentford for example – and we can feed off each other.

‘We need their support to lift us and give us energy, and hopefully they are seeing how much it means to us, and how together we are on the pitch too.’

Arsenal, who drew 2-2 with Champions League rivals Bayern Munich in midweek, continue their Premier League campaign on Sunday against Aston Villa.

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