White vs. Zinchenko: “I have to encourage that and promote it” — Arteta

I have to encourage that and promote it–Mikel Arteta insists the on pitch row between Zinchenko and Ben White will only make the team stronger and more focused.

Arsenal’s hard-fought 2-1 win against Nottingham Forest saw some heat steam between star players Ben White and Oleksandr Zinchenko, that almost got physical before both players had to be separated.

The Gunners secured their win with goals from Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka between the 65th and 72nd minutes in the second half.

Despite a late goal from Nottingham Forest’s Taiwo Awoniyi in the 89th minute and a remarkable save by Arsenal’s goalkeeper David Raya in stoppage time, Mikel Arteta’s side held on for a crucial win.

The win propels Arsenal to second place in the Premier League, positioning them ahead of upcoming fixtures for Liverpool and Manchester City later in the week, with a chance to reclaim top spot after both fixtures.

However, the post-match incident took center stage as White and Zinchenko confronted each other in a furious exchange, requiring intervention from a member of Arsenal’s coaching staff to prevent further escalation.

Photographs captured the intensity of the altercation, depicting a verbal exchange between the two players before Arteta himself stepped in to address Zinchenko privately.

In his post-match press conference, Arteta shared his perspective on the incident, stating to TNT Sports,

“That’s pushing each other and being not happy conceding, and I have to encourage that and promote it in the right way and a respectful way.

“Sometimes after the game it’s emotional and heated, but I love that the players are pushing each other and demanding excellence.”