Timber return, Martinelli injury, how Arsenal could line up after the international break

Whisper it quietly, but things seem to be coming together rather well for Arsenal at the moment. Whereas it was exactly this point last season where the wheels fell off in their title race, the Gunners are going from strength to strength having gone top of the Premier League with eight straight wins, and booked their place in the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in 14 years.

What’s made this run even more impressive is the fact that so many key players have been missing. It was only in the 4-1 win over Newcastle late last month that Mikel Arteta was able to name a bench without any academy players on it for the first time in 2024. The Arsenal boss has admitted that the increased depth his side have found could be huge for the run-in.

“We don't know what’s going to happen and we’re going to have a lot of games,” Mikel Arteta said earlier this month. “Freshness, more competition within the squad and the capacity to change games when the scenario is on our side or we are chasing games are something in this period that are going to be critical.”

Now though, the squad is getting back to full strength. It’s getting to the point now, where Arteta will have to think which players to leave out of the matchday squad entirely. It’s certainly a nice problem to have.

Defence in particular is an area where Arsenal will get a boost. Jurrien Timber is working hard towards integrating with the first team into full training. The hope is that he could play a significant part in the run-in.

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The Dutch international’s return coincides perfectly with Oleksandr