Arsenal have seen their injury list grow in the international break with Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Magalhaes and Thomas Partey joining Jurrien Timber and Gabriel Martinelli.
The Gunners welcomed Saka back to London Colney on Thursday after the winger withdrew from the England squad. He pulled out of the Three Lions’ friendlies with Brazil and Belgium due to a muscular injury. Arsenal will now manage his injury before visiting Manchester City.
Saka returning to Arsenal also followed Gabriel pulling out of Brazil’s camp with an inflamed Achilles he had been managing. Martinelli also remained in north London due to the cut he sustained to a foot at Sheffield United. While Partey asked to be omitted from Ghana duties.
Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber is now in a race to face Manchester City
Partey opted to stay at Arsenal and work on his fitness alongside Martinelli and Timber, who continues to advance his recovery from an ACL injury. Mikel Arteta also played Partey in the behind-closed-doors friendly defeat at Queens Park Rangers’ training ground on Thursday.
One player who did not feature at the TSG Elite Training & Performance Centre was Timber, though. According to football.london, despite the 22-year-old advancing his recovery during training, Arteta did not include Timber with Partey and several players in Arsenal’s academy.
Timber is taking part in team training sessions to further his rehabilitation from ACL surgery. But Arsenal continue to refuse to set a firm date for his full return and Timber is in a race to prove his fitness ahead of visiting Manchester City following the March international break.
Jurrien Timber only played 50 Premier League minutes before his ACL injury
Etihad Stadium plays host to a potentially pivotal fixture in the Premier League title race on March 31. Arsenal sit at the top of the table through 28 games but are only above Liverpool on goal difference. Champions Manchester City also on trail Arteta’s squad by a single point.
Timber has only played 50 minutes of Arsenal’s title challenge having suffered his ACL injury on his Premier League debut. He fell to the floor unchallenged against Nottingham Forest in August. But Arteta might face a further wait to recall a player Virgil van Dijk thinks is ‘great’.
“I wasn’t nearly as far along [at that age] as he is now,” Van Dijk said in September 2022, via 90min. “I have nothing but praise for him. He is a great player and a true professional. He has so much potential. Hopefully, he can develop further. Then it will be all right, I think.”
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
