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

Jurrien Timber will sit out Arsenal’s Carabao Cup tie against Ipswich on Tuesday night, with the club choosing caution over risk after his long-awaited return from injury.

The Netherlands defender made his first appearance of the season in the Premier League 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 cameo marked an important step after a lengthy lay-off with a groin issue that has kept him sidelined for months.

Arsenal, though, are not prepared to rush him. Despite being back to fitness, Timber is expected to be left out of the squad entirely for the Ipswich clash. The call is understood to be purely precautionary rather than a response to any setback with his groin, as the club look to manage his minutes carefully and build him back towards full match sharpness.

Mikel Arteta is also poised to rotate more heavily, with several senior players likely to be rested for the Cup tie as Arsenal juggle their schedule.

White, meanwhile, has already undergone a scan to assess the damage from the muscle injury he suffered on Saturday. Arsenal have yet to confirm the severity of the problem, but the defender is not expected to feature against Gary O’Neil’s side, leaving Arteta to reshuffle his back line again as the season’s demands begin to bite.