Arsenal star just sent Vinicius Jr a warning with what he did vs Chelsea – he’s key to the Champions League dream

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Arsenal cruised to victory against Chelsea in the Premier League, with every game being a warm-up to the Champions League quarter-final.

With Liverpool’s significant lead at the top of the Premier League table, Arsenal’s only hope of winning silverware this season is in Europe. 

The Gunners will face Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final, emphasising the need for Mikel Arteta’s side to build form before the first leg. 

Arsenal beat Chelsea 1-0 to take a step in the right direction, with Mikel Merino the match-winner on the afternoon. 

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Jurrien Timber was unplayable against Chelsea

Merino was the match-winner and Martin Odegaard made history against Chelsea but, another star truly deserved the headlines. 

Arsenal’s defence limited Enzo Maresca’s front line to almost no threat, with Jurrien Timber at the heart of the Gunners’ defensive control. 

The Dutchman was a force to be reckoned with on the right side, as his statistics from the game prove, winning nine duels and drawing three fouls.

Coming up against the pace of Christopher Nkunku and Pedro Neto, Timber was unfazed and wasn’t dribbled past once in the fixture.

So often, the makeshift right-back’s service to Arsenal goes under the radar but what the 23-year-old could be about to offer the Gunners is worth more than its weight in gold.

Vinicius Jr will be wary of Timber’s ability

As mentioned, as far as success goes this season for Arsenal, all roads lead to the Champions League quarter-final clash against Real Madrid.

The holders have an eye-watering abundance of attacking talent in their ranks, including Vinicius Jr, who is already feared in the Arsenal squad. 

Ben White does not want to face Vinicius Jr anytime soon however, the Englishman might not have to, as Timber is irreplaceable at present on the right side of the back four. 

Vinicius might meet his match in Timber in the quarter-final, with the Dutchman a player capable of truly frustrating and testing the Brazilian in the wide areas.

Of course, the Ballon d’Or runner-up is a different quality to what Chelsea had on show but, the way Arteta’s 2023 signing goes about his work is no-nonsense and admirable.

Could Timber be the answer to Arsenal keeping Real Madrid at bay? His performance against Chelsea certainly suggested that he could be.