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Ben White play acts by falling to ground faking injury in off-the-ball incident with Pervis Estupinan

Ben White play acts by falling to ground faking an injury in an off-the-ball incident with Pervis Estupinan as Arsenal beat Brighton.

On Saturday, video footage went viral on social media capturing the moment between White and Estupinan with White nudging Estupinan as he jogged past, prompting a retaliatory push from the Ecuadorian left-back.

Subsequently, White dramatically collapsed to the ground, clutching his throat, with White going unpunished for trying to deceive the referee and instead both got a talking to.

The game saw Arsenal move top of the Premier League with a 3-0 victory at Brighton; Bukayo Saka scored a first-half penalty after Tariq Lamptey brought down Gabriel Jesus; Kai Havertz then doubled Arsenal’s lead in the second half; and Leandro Trossard added late third against his former club.

Player ratings:

Brighton: Verbruggen (7), Lamptey (5), Van Hecke (5), Dunk (5), Estupinan (5), Gross (6), Baleba (6), Moder (6), Enciso (7), Adingra (6), Welbeck (6).

Subs: Buonanotte (6), Pedro (6), Fati (6).

Arsenal: Raya (7), White (7), Saliba (7), Gabriel (7), Zinchenko (5), Odegaard (7), Rice (7), Jorginho (7), Saka (7), Havertz (8), Jesus (7).

Subs: Trossard (7), Martinelli (6), Tomiyasu (6), Nketiah (n/a), Vieira (n/a).

Player of the Match: Kai Havertz

Arsenal forward Kai Havertz speaking to Sky Sports.

On using Man City’s result as motivation: “To be honest we didn’t speak about it. We tried to focus on ourselves and win the game, that is more important than looking at the other games right now.

“We must win our matches and see where that brings us.

“We are ready for the challenge and we are up for it. Every week we play at the limit and maybe we can play better.

“The attitude and workrate of the boys is phenomenal and everyone put everything into that game – that is why we are successful right now.

“The boys at the back, what they are doing is outstanding and everyone is involved in that. We try to get the ball high up the pitch, but how they defend the box is incredible.

“We have to keep on going, we have another big game in the midweek.”

On confidence: “Definitely when you feel that you are so strong at the back it helps you a lot. I am enjoying myself and I will try to help the team, I hope to keep on going forward.”

Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi, speaking to Sky Sports: “The effort was good, good enough to decide this game. We played a good first half, until the second goal we were in the game and then finish.

“This moment without a lot of important players it is tough to create a chance to score.

“We played against Arsenal and they are top of the table. Especially in this condition then we can lose against Arsenal at home. We are sorry for ourselves and our fans.

“Maybe we will not close the gap, I don’t know. This gap to close with Liverpool and Arsenal we are not in the condition to close this gap, especially with all our injured players.

“I don’t know what the club wants to do [in the future]. My problem is on the pitch, to improve my players and my team. The others things are not my business.”

Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi, speaking to BBC MOTD: “We played a good first half and played well in the second half until the second goal. After that we played not so good and deserved to lose against one of the best Premier League sides. With our injured players we can’t compete against Arsenal.

“We are sorry and disappointed for our fans. We wanted to get points, to win the game and compete in better ways.

“We are spending a tough moment because we are playing without a lot of injured players. It is tough.

“We are doing better last season because then we played only one game a week. The next season I think we can reach the same level. We have a lot of young players showing promise.

“We have to be positive and work, keep the focus on the pitch. I am suffering because it is tough to lose.”

Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka, speaking to Sky Sports: “Inside we are all buzzing, we know the win takes us back on top [of the league].

“To come here after playing three days ago, I am really happy for all the boys who put in another performance – we are building momentum.”

On starting this evening: “I was struggling, but as long as I have two legs I will give everything – I want to be on the pitch.”

On Brighton: “Brighton are really good at home, their biggest strength is playing out from the back and sometimes they get out and you have to sprint back.”

“Last season was not great to think about.

“But, great in terms that we have learned out lesson. In games like this game we needed to put it to bed.

“Last season we were conceding late goals and having to defend – then the fans were on top of us.

“This year we are more comfortable and I think the team is better. I feel like we are ready for each game to win.”

This is how fans reacted as Ben White play acts by falling to ground faking injury in an off-the-ball incident with Pervis Estupinan…

@TrevPaine: Just seen the Ben White incident. Embarrassing mate. I’ve never seen acting that bad before. You deserve a hefty fine for that you clown 🤡 No other words for that apart from blatant cheating 🤷‍♂️ #Bhafc

@SportsPaulH: If they actually wanted to do something useful with VAR they could look at blatant cheating like this from Ben White & at least give him a booking retrospectively – only aims to either get opponent booked or waste time, either way it’s awful

@footballconfid1: Yep, no yellow for that. Why? Clearly dived to try to win an advantage and get his opponent sent off. Bissouma got sent off for far less of a dive than this. No consistency, just corruption.

@mattyrawlings9: Should introduce retrospective 3 game bans for cheating like this. Soon stop it.

@gibbo2904: I wonder if players watch those incidents back and get embarrassed 🤔🤷

@jack_cym: Ever since his loan spell ended at Leeds, I developed a strong dislike for Ben White.

@LukeBullen10: A reason he was kicked out the England set up. Nobody likes him.

@ASensibleView: Ben White is a pathetic cheat. No wonder the England staff weren’t keen on him.

@shrewbydoobydo: I went to Stourbridge women vs Wolves women for my first ever taste of live women’s football. It isn’t for me but the most refreshing part was the lack of cheating and the never questioning the officials, made it so much better.

@Antiguamann: Totally embarrassing this is the incidents VAR should be stepping in, even post match, and eradicating from our game. Pure and simple cheating

@JohnHall1985: Literally speechless – What an absolute piece of shit Ben White is. Wonder how many Gooners will condemn this behaviour… Absolutely fucking disgraceful!

@karbonMAYne: It’s not even just cheating. It’s embarrassing. Like how do you go home and look at your wife and kids in the eyes after doing something like this?

@kfagsy32: The best way to get it out of the game is to have a post match press conference, showing each player their feigning and asking them to explain their actions, will stop it very quickly

@PaulWarboLE: If the FA don’t take retrospective action against cheat Ben White then it just shows not only are the PL corrupt but so are the FA.

@WorldByWolf: @FA and @FIFAcom could end diving tomorrow by having a five match ban for anyone who dives. And there should be a citing panel who review incidents and make a judgement on what is/isn’t a dive.

@KernowDeej: It’s embarrassing, unprofessional, disrespectful and downright cheating, he’s trying to con the referee and should be retrospectively punished

@StepneyHammer: Tbf he thought the Brighton lad rubbed his fake tan off…

@redboardie: Isn’t this the same Ben White who pulled out of the England squad due to period pains?

@KerryThomas20: Just watching a rugby match (Ospreys v Sale) and a players finger is bent right back (obviously dislocated). Just got a medic to pull it back into shape and just got on with the game

@coalcollector: Needs a ban. Pathetic cheating.

@SIMONFI52110274: Why can’t they look at the video evidence after the match? It’s blatant cheating.

@david5301114: Embarrassing. It would only take a handful of red cards for players to stop doing it, no reason not to in this day and age with the technology available.

@SteveHaythorne: The players should be branded as cheats instead of dressing such behaviour as ‘simulation’.

@aanepade: Should be a yellow for simulation and he’d have been sent off later in the game. Havertz also got away with a dive a few matches back. Once players start getting punished for it, they’ll soon stop doing it.

@youdonewhat: It’s like someone making a vexatious complaint about another. This should be treated the same as the implied accusation. Red card

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