Mikel Arteta has said Jurrien Timber “has got a good chance” of playing again for Arsenal this season.

The £38million summer signing from Ajax has been out since he sustained a serious knee injury on the opening weekend of the season.

But he is stepping up his recovery and Arteta says he is pushing to play a role for the Gunners during the title run-in.

“He is doing very well,” said Arteta. “He is back training. He is not far off, the thing is that last step. He has not played any minutes.

“So, does he need a game with Under-23s? Does he need two games? That last part, which is tricky and sometimes it takes a while, hopefully it’s as quick as possible.

“I think he has got a good chance. I don’t know the percentage but I think he has got a good chance and he is going to push it as far as he possibly can.”

Arteta also defended Arsenal’s approach in their cagey 0-0 draw against Manchester City on Sunday.

Pep Guardiola praised the way Arsenal set up at the Etihad but made regular references to their low block and they how they saw to doggedly frustrate City.

Mikel Arteta on Man City draw

Arsenal became the first team since Crystal Palace in October 2021 to stop City scoring at home in the Premier League and Arteta said: “You have to [have a different way of playing]. Sometimes because you want to adapt, sometimes because you have to adapt.

“And you have to have that resilience, and leave your ego aside, your ideology aside and do what you have to do to win the game.

“I thought the team was mentally really strong and really clever the way they did it.”