A round-up of the latest Arsenal news as Mikel Arteta addresses the Premier League title race and James Maddison reveals his regret about Declan Rice and the Gunners.
Arsenal star Jurrien Timber offers an injury update
Gunners defender Jurrien Timber has moved to allay concerns he will miss the entire season due to an ACL injury. The 22-year-old sustained the blow 50 minutes into his Premier League debut on the opening day of their campaign. Arsenal also sent Timber for surgery soon after.
Timber fell to the turf at Emirates Stadium clutching his leg with a non-contact injury against Nottingham Forest this August. He had only signed for Arsenal from AFC Ajax in the summer, too. But Ben Jacobs recently suggested that Timber is unlikely to return before next summer.
Yet Timber has now moved to allay concerns that his debut season for Arsenal ended within 50 minutes. The Dutchman has stated that he is still working hard trying to return this term. Timber also states that he is still making real progress in his rehabilitation at London Colney.
“I’m making good progress,” Timber said on the Arsenal YouTube channel. “It won’t be the whole season [that I am out], I hope. I know it’s going well. It’s hard at the same time. But I’m doing my best, working hard and just enjoying being busy.”
Read more about the latest updates concerning Arsenal defender Timber’s injury, here.
Tottenham ace Maddison reveals his regret about Rice and Arsenal
Tottenham Hotspur maestro Maddison has admitted that he ‘hates’ that England teammate Rice plays for Arsenal. The Spurs playmaker claims the 24-year-old has ‘everything’ and that his passing talents are ‘a joke’. So, the midfielder regrets seeing his friend playing for a rival.
“He’s got everything,” Maddison told former Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster for Amazon Prime. “He’s technically really good. He is a joke when it comes to low-cut passes. I think he’s a top, top player. I hate that he plays for Arsenal.”
Arteta broke the bank to make Rice a Gunners player this summer with Arsenal paying West Ham United a club-record fee. Maddison also moved clubs in the off-season with Tottenham bagging a bargain following Leicester City’s relegation. He has since been Spurs’ best player.
Similarly, Arsenal legend Paul Merson claims Rice has been Arteta’s best player ‘by a million miles’ this season. The midfielder has been an instrumental figure at Emirates Stadium as a lynchpin of their engine room. Rice can conduct Arsenal’s game plan and thwart opponents.
Read more about what Tottenham star Maddison has said about Rice and Arsenal, here.
Mikel Arteta says 100 points will win the Premier League title
Arsenal manager Arteta believes it could take 100 points to win the Premier League title this season. The Gunners are entwined in the title race again this term after falling just short last term. Manchester City beat the north London team to lift a third-straight title by five points.
“Do I have a target? Yes, [with] 96-100 I think you win the league,” Arteta said, via quotes by the Mirror. “That is the cushion.”
The Citizens needed 89 points for the 2022/23 title with a five-point lead over the Gunners. Arsenal had enjoyed 248 days atop the table but have not won a Premier League title since Arsene Wenger’s 2003/04 Invincibles. The Gunners last won a top-flight title with 90 points.
Last season marked the lowest points total required to win the Premier League title since the 2020/21 term when the Citizens needed 86. Manchester City had needed 100 points to win it in 2017/18 and 98 in 2018/19. While Liverpool needed 99 for the title in the 2019/20 season.
Read more about what Arteta has had to say about the Premier League title race, here.
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