BBC pundit very impressed with 25-year-old Arsenal man’s attacking play vs Man City

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Craig Shakespeare was very impressed with Arsenal defender Ben White’s contribution to the team’s attacking play.

Shakespeare was covering the match for BBC Sport as the domestic season got underway for England’s top-flight clubs.

It was a cagey first-half affair with neither side able to create too many clear-cut chances.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was without star forward Gabriel Jesus as the Brazilian has had minor surgery.

Instead of selecting Eddie Nketiah in his place, new signing Kai Havertz was deployed as a centre-forward.

It’s not a role Mikel Arteta would ideally be playing him in, especially as he didn’t thrive as an out-and-out striker at Chelsea.

However, he had the best chance of the first half for Arsenal but was denied brilliantly by Man City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega.

Shakespeare was impressed with Ben White and the work the Arsenal defender did in the build-up.

His position is also under threat this season after the signing of Jurrien Timber.

Arteta picked both players on either wing today and the Englishman was the more effective player in possession.

Shakespeare impressed with Arsenal defender White

Covering the match on BBC 5 Live, Shakespeare said: “It’s the first time we have seen Ben White venture forward, and he does it very well.

“You can see the benefit there of getting him forward and not just playing in straight lines.”

Ben White was initially signed for £50m from Brighton as a centre-back.

He was also known to play as a defensive midfielder, but Arteta converted him into a full-back last season.

White did very well in this position, even impressing new signing Declan Rice.

Shakespeare won’t have been the only one impressed with White’s contribution to Arsenal’s attack.

His partnership with Bukayo Saka caused plenty of issues last season and already they were combining well today.

White’s pass into Havertz was just behind him and although the German did well to adjust his feet and get a shot away, the delay allowed Man City to get defenders around him.

Havertz was also presented with another brilliant chance by Saka just before the break, but his shot was straight at Ortega.

He’ll want to find the back of the net quickly to avoid expectation building up too much.