Arsenal's Jurrien Timber to Miss Carabao Cup Tie vs Ipswich

Arsenal will take no risks with Jurrien Timber, with the defender set to sit out Tuesday night’s Carabao Cup tie against Ipswich Town despite finally making his long-awaited return at the weekend.

The Netherlands international stepped back onto a Premier League pitch in the win over Sunderland on Saturday, coming off the bench to replace Ben White, who pulled up with a muscular problem in the first half at the Stadium of Light.

Timber’s omission from the squad tonight is understood to be purely precautionary. There is no suggestion of a setback with the long-term groin issue that kept him out for months. Arsenal simply do not intend to overload a player who has only just emerged from a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

The plan is clear: ease him in, not throw him straight into a congested schedule.

Mikel Arteta is also expected to rotate heavily elsewhere, with several senior players in line for a rest as Arsenal juggle domestic cup commitments with their league campaign.

White, meanwhile, has already undergone a scan to assess the damage from his muscular injury. Arsenal are yet to disclose the full extent of the problem, but the defender is not expected to feature against Gary O’Neil’s side.

The focus now turns to how Arteta reshapes his back line, and how quickly White can rejoin a squad already managing one careful comeback.