Jurrien Timber scores a screamer on his comeback from an eight-month injury

After eight minutes, Jurrien Timber had already sunk the ball into the top right corner.

His Blackburn Under-21 opponents looked stunned. His young colleagues looked in awe.

It had been 254 days since the Dutch full back had last stepped on a pitch after suffering damage to the ACL ligament in his knee against Nottingham Forest on August 12.

No one imagined, as the 22-year-old trudged off the pitch of Arsenal's first Premier League game of the season, that it would be another eight months before he would re-appear.

Further still, not many expected Timber to return to such aplomb on just his first appearance, playing for the Arsenal Under-21s.

He wore his usual number 12 shirt, despite the academy typically using numbers 1 to 11 for the line-up. Special players, special measures.

He received the ball on the edge of the box. A jink to his right opened the body to unleash a curling shot, brushing the bar and landing in the net.

It was a finish that would not have looked out of place in a first-team match in the title run-in, never mind the academy side.

This backdrop made Timber's strike all the more impressive, and a reminder as to why the Gunners have so badly wanted their £38.5million man back.

Earlier in the half, on one minute and five seconds, Timber received his first touch. Applause broke out.

He started at left back and found himself in advanced positions from midfield, inverting centrally in the manner of Oleksandr Zinchenko.

Timber's gliding forward was more advanced than expected. Under Mikel Arteta, that will likely be more tempered.

Timber made himself available around the box on a number of occasions, pressing into attacking positions. He had another crack at goal from outside the area parried out for a corner on 24