Arsenal defender Ben White found himself in the spotlight after the Gunners' dramatic 3-2 victory over Tottenham last Sunday.

Replays showed White attempting to undo the gloves of goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario during the build-up to Arsenal's first and third goal. The 26-year-old continually got in Vicario's way at corners and has done the same with other keepers this season.

And Gunners legend Martin Keown has dismissed any controversy surrounding White's actions. Fellow pundit Joe Cole agreed that the "skullduggery" was just a normal part of any north London derby.

"People have been doing this for many years, haven't they? It's disruption," Keown said. "Vicario, the goalkeeper for Spurs, you saw how he was upset by his [White's] presence - just being there, ruffling his feathers. He does it really well.

"He occupies that space, just blocks it off, makes the keeper feel a little bit nervous; it's quite remarkable how the keepers just seem to... they collapse, don't they, under pressure."

Cole said: "It's always been part of the game. I did that role at times. One thing I used to do which I don't think you'd get away with now is if you just grab the goalkeeper's arm - you'd be surprised at how just moving their arm disrupts their run. But Ben White - it's the timing of it, we're talking about the details of it. I don't think... it's a little bit of skulduggery, what we'd say in north London, that's what it is."

Keown went on to add: "It's like pulling the curtains, isn't it? Pull them across the window and he can't see anything. And the keeper goes into panic mode. It's working beautifully; he doesn't really touch the ball but he plays a major part in these goals."

Keown and Cole's comments are in stark contrast to those of Liverpool legend Graeme Souness who slammed White for "cheating."

Writing in his Daily Mail column, the ex-Reds captain and manager began: "I've heard a lot of talk about the 'genius' of Arsenal's so-called set-piece 'guru' and the incredible work he's played in the team's push for the title.

"Well, forgive me for bursting the bubble here, but amid all the excitement about the goals Tottenham conceded from corners last week, something very significant was somehow missed. Two of those goals should not have counted.

"We are witnessing a stealthy, very deliberate, strategy from Arsenal - and Ben White in particular - to obstruct goalkeepers in a way which will avoid detection by the referees."

Souness then went on to say: "Might I suggest the referees consult their own little FA rule books for a definition of that term? Law 12 states, in black and white, that obstruction is 'moving into the opponent's path to obstruct, block, slow down or force a change of direction when the ball is not within playing distance of either player.'

"'Set-piece genius'? Call me old-fashioned but what we're seeing here is cheating. This blocking by players from set-pieces is more prevalent than ever before, which presents a challenge for referees. But Arsenal do this every game and it's always by White, so the penny should have dropped long ago.

"Arsenal have been using this pattern of offending ever since the set-piece coach, Nicolas Jover, joined Mikel Arteta at Arsenal. That was two seasons ago. Don't even get me started on the fact that we also have the VAR officials, sitting in their warm booth, equipped with the camera capacity that ought to be pulling Arsenal up on this every time."

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