Mikel Arteta coy on Jurrien Timber as injury return timeline explained for Arsenal star

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Mikel Arteta coy on Jurrien Timber as injury return timeline explained for Arsenal star

Mikel Arteta could welcome some big names back to the Arsenal matchday squad just in time for the end-of-season run-in.

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Arsenal have been given a huge boost to their hopes of winning the Premier League. Although the Gunners are three points clear at the top of the table, Manchester City have a game in hand, which, if they were to win, would put them in first place.

With so little separating the two sides, Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola will be looking for any edge they can get in the final weeks of the campaign. Fortunately for the Arsenal boss, he could welcome a couple of big names back from the treatment room just in time for the end-of-season run-in.

There appears to be light at the end of the tunnel for Jurrien Timber, who has missed each of the Gunners' last nine games across all competitions. The 24-year-old defender suffered an injury during the 2-0 win over Everton in mid-March and hasn't featured since.

Speaking to reporters ahead of Arsenal's clash against Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-final, Arteta refused to provide any specific details about Timber. Instead, he held his cards close to his chest, claiming the Netherlands international still needs to 'do more things' before returning to the pitch.

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The Gunners have suffered in his absence, losing four of their last nine games, while winning just three. In the nine games up to and including the Everton clash, when Timber sustained the knock, Arsenal had gone unbeaten, winning six and drawing the other three.

According to Stephen Smith, the CEO and founder of Kitman Labs, which specialises in injury welfare and performance analytics, the Dutchman could be nursing a grade two groin injury. If that were to be the case, Timber may be back in action before the end of the season.

Speaking to the Metro, the football injury specialist said: "Six weeks in [to his rehabilitation period] would mean we are beyond the grade one stage. Grade one stage is usually just a small number of fibres that have been torn or overstretched.

"Generally, that is one to three weeks. If it is a grade two, then we are talking about a more significant injury, maybe a partial tear of the muscle or the tendon itself.

"Generally, you are looking at a three to eight week window for that. If it is a grade three, it is much more significant and closer to a rupture. Then you are talking two to three months."

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Smith added: "He is in that three to eight week window right now, which suggests it looks likely to be a grade two. So there is potential light there in terms of how his rehab is progressing and potential light in seeing him involved soon before the end of the season."

In the meantime, Arsenal return to action on Saturday evening when they host Fulham at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners could extend their lead at the top of the Premier League to six points, with Manchester City not set to play Everton until Monday night.

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