Timber injury: When will Arsenal defender be back? Mikel Arteta shares update on Jurrien Timber and Ben White
Mikel Arteta has eased Arsenal’s defensive crisis by revealing two of his stars could be back sooner than expected.
Arsenal were rocked by the news that key centre-half Gabriel will be sidelined for the rest of the season with a hamstring injury which requires surgery.
The Brazil international was forced off in the 16th minute in Arsenal’s victory against Fulham on Tuesday, while Jurrien Timber went down twice with a knee problem before he was replaced in the closing stages. Ben White was not fit enough to make the squad for the visit of Fulham, while Riccardo Calafiori and Takehiro Tomiyasu are both still sidelined.
Fortunately for Arteta, two of his injured defenders - Timber and White - could be back on the pitch soon.
“Losing Gabi was a tough one to digest,” said Arteta ahead of Arsenal’s clash with Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday. “It is a big miss, undoubtedly, and Riccardo is not fit either. In the last week or so we have lost four players, and that’s obviously a big task, but let’s see how Ben and Jurrien are tomorrow. There is a chance [they could play].
“We need to find solutions to keep competing as we have done. This is a beautiful part of the season and we have to react. That means other players are going to have opportunities to play.”
Arsenal’s hopes of silverware rest on the Champions League after Liverpool extended their lead to 12 points in the race for the Premier League title with just eight matches to play. Arsenal will host Real Madrid at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night before they head to the Spanish capital for the return leg of the Champions League quarter-final the following week.
Despite losing Gabriel, Arteta received a welcome boost when Bukayo Saka ended a 101-day injury absence as a second-half substitute against Fulham.
Saka was introduced in the 66th minute, scoring just seven minutes later, and Arteta said he is prepared to risk his star winger from the start against Everton to allow him further minutes before the visit of Carlo Ancelotti’s side.