Arsenal have been dealt a huge blow ahead of their Premier League clash against Brighton with Jurrien Timber ruled out.
Timber started Arsenal’s Carabao Cup quarter-final win over Crystal Palace on Tuesday night, successfully converting his penalty in the shootout, and arrived with the squad at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
However, the Dutchman was not named in the matchday squad against the Seagulls, which sparked confusion over the team Mikel Arteta had selected.
Arteta has explained Timber sustained a knock late on against Palace and has not been risked ahead of next week’s home game against Aston Villa.
“We missed him because in the last part of the game he felt something and he could not carry on so he's out,” the Spaniard revealed.
With Ben White and Cristhian Mosquera also sidelined because of injury, there is no natural right-back in the Arsenal XI.
William Saliba could be asked to shift over to full-back, or Arteta may have tweaked his system to a back three which would see Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard operating as wing-backs.
Though in a surprise for Arsenal, Gabriel is back in the matchday squad against Brighton. This is despite Arteta saying the Brazilian defender was not near a reurn to action.
Speaking just before Christmas, the Gunners boss said: “We have to wait and see. He hasn't trained yet, so he’s still doing his rehab.
“But hopefully as quickly as possible [he can be back], because we know the situation now we have in the backline.”
Piero Hincapie has recovered from the knock that kept him out of the midweek cup tie to start in defence alongside Saliba and Riccardo Calafiori.
Furthermore, Gabriel Martinelli is also fit after being replaced during the second half against Palace following a clash of knees with Jaydee Canvot late in the first half.
