Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber missed the Gunners' clash against Brighton last time out as Mikel Arteta deals with injury concerns before the Aston Villa match
Jurrien Timber of Arsenal applauds the fans prior to the Premier League match against Everton
Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber missed the clash against Brighton(Image: Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
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Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber has posted a cryptic update on social media ahead of Tuesday's huge Premier League clash against Aston Villa. Mikel Arteta's squad are back in action aiming to maintain their pursuit of the Premier League title.
They currently sit at the top of the table, but only two points separate them from their closest rivals, Manchester City. If Unai Emery's Villa manage to secure another significant victory tonight, they could draw level on points with the Gunners.
In such a scenario, Arsenal would still hold the top spot based on goal difference with a current swing of 12, but it would also give City the opportunity to overtake them later this week when they play away at Sunderland. Arteta will be hoping to have right-back Timber fit and ready for selection.
The Dutch international has been crucial for the Gunners this season, contributing three goals and three assists in his 24 appearances across all competitions so far. However, Timber was not part of the squad that narrowly defeated Brighton last weekend.
A goal from Martin Odegaard and an own goal from Georginio Rutter secured a vital three points for the league leaders. Arteta revealed that Timber's absence was due to a problem he picked up during the latter stages of Arsenal's Carabao Cup quarter-final penalty shootout victory over Crystal Palace before Christmas. I
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In Timber's absence, Declan Rice filled in at full-back. Rice, meanwhile, is due to miss the Villa match with a suspected knee injury in a huge blow at Arteta.
The matches are piling up, and it's uncertain whether Timber will be available for the match. However, he has posted his customary pre-match social media update, referencing a bible verse.
Whether this hints at his participation is yet to be determined, but Arteta could certainly use the squad reinforcement ahead of such a pivotal series of games. Arsenal not only face potential title contenders Villa, but they also have a challenging away game at Bournemouth this weekend.
Next week, Liverpool will visit the Emirates Stadium, followed by a series of domestic cup matches, including an FA Cup third round trip to Portsmouth. A few days later, they'll take on Chelsea in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final.
In addition to Timber, Arteta is also concerned about the fitness of another defender, Riccardo Calafiori. The Italian pulled out of the warm-up before last weekend's Brighton match due to discomfort.
It's also unclear whether Kai Havertz and Ben White will be fit for selection, as both have been sidelined with injuries.
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