Mikel Arteta explained Jurrien Timber was taken off at half-time during Arsenal’s Champions League win over Paris Saint-Germain as a precaution after the defender experienced a muscular problem.
The 23-year-old impressed in the first half against PSG on Tuesday but was replaced by Jakub Kiwior at the break.
Timber was making his eighth appearance in all competitions this season after missing the majority of the 2023-24 campaign with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.
“He was unbelievable in the first half,” Arteta said. “He felt something muscular and we didn’t want to take any risks. He has been out a year and played a lot of minutes. We have to manage him.”
Timber sustained an ACL injury 50 minutes into his Premier League debut in August 2023 after joining Arsenal from Ajax in a £34million transfer that summer. He made his first-team comeback at the end of last season and has started seven of Arsenal’s eight matches in all competitions this term.
Left-back Riccardo Calafiori moved to right-back in the second half against PSG in Timber’s absence, with Ben White continuing to miss out due to a knee problem.
Arsenal were 2-0 winners over PSG at the Emirates thanks to first-half goals from Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka.
Arteta’s side return to action against Southampton on Saturday.
Timber provides stand out first-half performance
Analysis from Jordan Campbell
There were roars for Arsenal’s two goals but arguably the biggest was reserved for Timber when he stopped Bradley Barcola with a perfectly timed tackle and sprinted through three PSG players, all while inside his own penalty area.
It was the highlight of a first half in which the Dutch defender was a standout, which meant there was a hush of silence when he did not return after the break.
Timber completely nullified Barcola, who has torn many full-backs apart in Ligue 1 the last few years for Lyon and PSG. In possession Timber was flawless and once again highlighting how he has elevated Arsenal’s ability to play through teams.
Arsenal fans will hope the muscular complaint is minor given White and Takehiro Tomiyasu’s absences meant they had to shift Calafiori to right-back, forming a back four consisting of three left-footed players.
(Julian Finney/Getty Images)
