Mikel Arteta may have just unearthed his own Trent Alexander-Arnold after what £34m Arsenal star just did

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Mikel Arteta will have learned a great deal about his Arsenal squad as they took on Leicester City on Saturday. 

Arsenal had to dig to deep to eventually overcome Leicester City at the Emirates Stadium.  

Mikel Arteta’s side were frustrated by the Foxes until the dying stages of this Premier League clash. A Wilfred Ndidi own goal and a Kai Havertz tap in, both coming in added time after 90 had been played, finally gave the Gunners a 4-2 win.

Arsenal showed that they have the desire to fight to the very end, and that they aren’t willing to give up when points are still there to be won. 

Arteta also sent a message to his critics, as the North London club came under fire from some quarters for the defensive tactics they deployed when down to ten men against Manchester City recently.

Against Leicester, though, they showed how devastating they can be when seeking to attack and play on the front foot. Arsenal produced many shots on goal and brought the best out of the Foxes’ goalkeeper, Mads Hermansen. 

Jurrien Timber played a key role in Arsenal’s attacking display. 

• READ MORE: Everything to know on Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber from his height to his brothers

Jurrien Timber replicates Trent Alexander-Arnold impact

Timber created many chances for Arsenal on Saturday, producing numbers in this regard identical to those that have been put up by Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold at his best. 

Timber was also able tor register an assist for the Gunners’ first goal, as Gabriel Martinelli was able to sweep home the Dutchman’s low cross into the box.

Alexander-Arnold is a key creative force for Liverpool. Despite being a full-back, he acts as an auxiliary playmaker for the Reds, making use of his impressive range of passing to cut through opposition defences. 

Timber has now shown that he can fulfil a similar function in Arteta’s side, whilst remaining a defensively solid presence at the back.

What Timber still needs to prove at Arsenal 

Arsenal paid £34 million to sign Timber from Ajax in the summer of 2023.

Last season, though, his first in North London, was decimated by injury. In that sense, the Netherlands international is only now starting to finally establish himself at Arsenal. 

Fans of the North London club are still getting to know his playing style, and will be impressed by what they have seen so far.

Timber has also been able to demonstrate his versatility. Comfortable in any position across the back line, it remains to be seen where he will cement himself as a nailed-on starter. 

Timber’s mission, though, must be to claim a position as his own, and he will be desperate to make up for lost time by doing exactly that this season.