LINE ON ARSENAL JOURNEY TO NEW HEIGHTS

muscular tone that obviously we wanted.

“But he has been really disciplined and working hard to improve that because he understands the physicality in this league is really demanding.

“You see him physically and everyone notices the change.”

As pleased as Arteta has been, however, he still insists they cannot be mentioned in the same breath as Virgil van

Dijk and Joel Matip, who will be at the back for today’s opponents, Liverpool.

He added: “The moment they win everything the other two have won will be the right moment.”

It isn’t just in the centre of Arsenal’s defence that have seen some big performances. Right-back Ben White has caught the eye. Such has been his form that Arteta believes there is a real opportunity for him to go to the World Cup with England after surgery made Kyle Walker a doubt.

Arteta said: “Ben would be comfortable playing on the right of a back three as well as in the middle, or as a full-back.

“If you ask me if he is ready to make that step then the answer is, ‘Yes, because he is a confident boy, he gives you absolutely everything, he is always available and has the courage to play under pressure.

“We all believed he had the qualities to play at right-back and the most important step, probably, was for him to believe he could do it and feel comfortable in that position, and know this position could maximise his potential and give him another dimension as a player.” Today, White will be up against a rival for that

England spot in Trent Alexander-Arnold and Arteta believes his man can learn from him.

He added: “Trent is a very special talent. The way he can threaten the opponent, especially with his range of passing, his capability to play with the ball… inside, outside, to play in different zones on the pitch and be so comfortable.”