Arsenal are set to face Wolves in the opening game of the new Premier League season, and are aiming to start with a victory.
Mikel Arteta’s side face a tough opening set of fixtures, with trips to Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City in the first six games.
Arsenal have only completed one first-team signing so far, with Riccardo Calafiori arriving from Bologna, but the Italy International made just one substitute appearance in pre-season.
Jurrien Timber is still recovering from a long-term injury he picked up on his Premier League debut a year ago, and he was left out of the last few games of pre-season with an overload injury.
With Takehiro Tomiyasu and Kieran Tierney also absent, Oleksandr Zinchenko looks set to start at left-back, in what he hopes will be an improved campaign, but Arsenal have now been handed a boost for the opening day.
Mikel Arteta gives positive update on Jurrien Timber fitness
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Arteta revealed that after missing the last three pre-season matches, Timber is now available and will be in the squad for Arsenal’s Premier League opener.
“Jurrien will be in the squad tomorrow,” Arteta stated.
“Obviously he had a really tough period but he used it in a great way I think because he’s managed to get a lot of things done and improved in many areas except playing.
“He found it really helpful I think and now he’s ready and he has a chance.”
Timber has made just two Premier League squads in his Arsenal career, one of which was the opening day last year, and the other the final game of the season.
Arsenal need to ease Jurrien Timber in carefully
Arsenal have other options across the defence, meaning that there will be no forced reliance on Timber, at least in the opening weeks of the season.
Despite impressing in the early stages of pre-season, Timber’s absence in recent weeks shows that he will still need time to get back to full fitness.
Arsenal will manage Timber’s fitness and workload carefully rather than throwing him straight back in. The Dutchman needs to be fully comfortable with his injury recovery, and needs to steadily build match fitness, and fans will have to be patient before he hits his best form.
Timber impressed in his limited minutes for Arsenal last year, and if he can return to full fitness, he will be like a new signing this season.
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
