Mikel Arteta made a bold prediction about Jurrien Timber at Arsenal, and he was spot on

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Given Ben White’s injury, Jurrien Timber will now have a clear run to prove that he’s Arsenal’s strongest right-back in the coming weeks and months. 

In his debut season at the Emirates Stadium, Timber only made three appearances in an Arsenal shirt, playing 147 minutes in total.

Now back fit, the Dutchman has already smashed that total this campaign, playing 15 times and registering 1,110 minutes.

Timber is now vital for the Gunners, as he proved in their remarkable 5-1 away win against Sporting CP, a performance that will live long in memory.

Timber was brilliant for Arsenal, and his assist for Gabriel Martinelli’s opening goal underlined just how crucial he’s becoming at both ends of the pitch.

Mikel Arteta was right to call Jurrien Timber a ‘leader’ for Arsenal

That being said, before he kicked a ball in a competitive game for Arsenal this season, Arteta was confident that Timber would play a huge role over the campaign.

Speaking at his press conference back in July during Arsenal’s tour of the United States, Arteta praised the defender’s attitude and alluded to some pretty lofty expectations for the months to come.

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Arteta said: “It is not easy to come to a big club like here and start to set expectations with his performances and then on day one in the Premier League you are out for the season. 

“But mentally he is a really tough boy. He is so willing, you can see that in his body language and the way he acts. He has worked so hard, I think he is in a really good place at the moment.

“We are going to have to manage him now in the next few weeks, especially because the load he has been able to do in the last few months compared to the next two weeks is very different, but we are very excited.

“He is a leader. He loves to be on show and a big presence in everything that we do. He is very vocal and extremely gifted technically. He is a great addition to the team.”

Riccardo Calafiori is just as important as Jurrien Timber right now

Of course, Timber has already come good on all of that promise and expectation, a player who was simply being delayed by a serious injury.

Timber has been just as good as Martin Odegaard of late, who has also been in sensational form since the international break.

It’s now key for Arteta that both Timber and Riccardo Calafiori stay fit, because Arsenal do lack replacements of the same calibre.

Oleksandr Zinchenko is free to leave in January, and Takehiro Tomiyasu has rarely been available for any extended period.

A vital sub-plot to Arsenal’s season, two defenders who have regularly suffered minor injury set-backs, but players they now need to be available every single game.