Mikel Arteta has been urged to take a major selection gamble by starting Jurrien Timber in the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain. The Netherlands international had been enjoying an outstanding campaign before he suffered a groin injury against Everton back in early March.
Timber hasn't played a single competitive minute since suffering that setback but has worked his way back to full fitness and is now in contention to feature in the biggest game European football has to offer. The former Ajax star took a full part in first team training earlier this week and Arteta confirmed the 24-year-old was in contention to feature in his pre-match press conference.
With Ben White having suffered a season-ending injury earlier this month, Cristhian Mosquera has filled in admirably, while Arteta experimented with Martin Zubimendi in the right-back role in last weekend's Premier League game against Crystal Palace. Whoever starts in that key position this evening will come up against one of Europe's most in-form wingers in the shape of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and, given the size of the task, former Arsenal legend Martin Keown believes Timber should be given the nod, despite his lack of match fitness.
He told TNT Sport: 'I'm still really intrigued on Timber and the match-up there because he will get forward as well. I think when we look back to the Bayern game (against PSG), Arsenal are so much better in the one vs one situation and we so need Timber to be there. We've seen how nimble he is, how he can pinch balls and get round people with that flexibility he seems to have.'
Asked whether or not it would be too much of a risk to field a player who has missed the last 14 matches in all competitions, Keown added: 'It's special circumstances and Timber is a special player.'
Keown's former Arsenal teammate, Anders Limpar, agreed it is a welcome bonus to have Timber back amongst the options available to Arteta but fears it would be too much of a risk to pick the versatile defender from the start. He told Betano Online Casino: 'Jurrien Timber's return would be a massive boost for the dressing room. He's a good, likeable figure in the dressing room. I don't think he's fit to play games. Even if you are fit to play, you need a couple of games under your belt to be ready.
'The people who have been there since he got injured have done a great job, all of them. Yet again, we have two players, maybe three in certain parts of the team, who can step in for each other. From early on this season, Mikel Arteta wanted to have two world-class players in each position to step in, because the Premier League is a long season, plus the Champions League, and you have to be in cup finals. You have national games, you need the squad. You need 26 players, and everybody has to play. So, it's a good thing for the team if Timber is getting fit, for sure. But I don't think he is the number one choice to play even when he is fit today, because he's lacking a little bit of playing time.'
