Jurrien Timber remains unavailable for Arsenal as they prepare for Sunday's huge Premier League clash with West Ham. The Dutch defender's last appearance for the Gunners was in the 2-0 victory over Everton in mid-March. Initially thought to have sustained only a minor injury, Timber has now missed Arsenal's last 11 games in all competitions.
Timber's Frustrating Injury
The 24-year-old was seen celebrating on the pitch with his teammates following Arsenal's Champions League semi-final win over Atletico Madrid on Tuesday. However, Mikel Arteta confirmed that Timber will still not be fit enough to feature this weekend as Arsenal turn their attention back to the league and a trip to relegation-threatened West Ham.
'No fresh injury concerns, nothing to add,' the Spaniard said when asked about team news in Friday's pre-match press conference. On Timber and the also injured Mikel Merino, he added: 'No chance for them this weekend.'
End-of-Season Doubts
Arteta also raised doubts about whether Timber would be seen again before the end of the season. 'I don't know, there is still a fair bit to do,' he said. 'Everything needs to be so smooth and quick.'
Timber's injury has proved a frustrating and complicating one for Arsenal, with Arteta adding: 'That has probably been the most difficult thing to manage, with the player, with myself as well. We didn't expect it to take so long, and he's not fit to play.'
Arsenal currently hold a five-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the table, although Pep Guardiola's side can cut that deficit to just two points with a win against Brentford on Saturday.
