Micah Richards sums up Ben White display in Arsenal win in one word

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Micah Richards has told Match of the Day 2 that Ben White was exceptional for Arsenal in their Premier League victory over Watford on Sunday.

The Gunners have gone into the international break off the back of a brilliant run of form. They have won their last three and now sit fifth in the table.

In fact, Arsenal have not lost since the first international break. And one of the key aspects of their improvement has been the strength of the defensive unit Mikel Arteta has put together.

Aaron Ramsdale is on his way to cult-hero status, and surely an England debut. Gabriel Magalhaes is playing the best football of his Gunners career so far. And in Takehiro Tomiyasu, Kieran Tierney and Nuno Tavares, Arsenal boast three superb full-back options.

But perhaps the best of the lot has been White. Obviously, he has more to prove having arrived for such a significant fee in the summer.

Not only has he been very good defensively. But he is also silencing more of his doubters every time he strides out of the back with the ball at his feet.

On Sunday, one of those runs proved pivotal. He danced through to the edge of the Watford penalty area before attempting to break into the box itself.

Micah Richards lauds Ben White after Arsenal win

The challenge on him sent the ball into the path of Emile Smith Rowe. And the youngster found the back of the net.

Richards was shown a graphic which highlighted Arsenal’s stats over the last eight games – one of which mentioned that they are near the top for fewest goals conceded in that time. And that prompted the pundit to laud the 24-year-old.

“Excellent, goals conceded, second,” he told Match of the Day 2. “That’s the one I’m looking at. I think Ben White today was exceptional, Gabriel, Tomiyasu coming in as well.”