Arsenal go to Brighton on 19 September with the right side of defence still unsettled. Jurriën Timber made his first appearance of the season as a half-time substitute against Sunderland, but Ben White is a doubt after picking up a groin issue at the Stadium of Light, and Cristhian Mosquera is still recovering from a muscle injury suffered against Aston Villa last month.
Arteta has tried to ease Timber back in after five months out. "Everything is fine," he said, but he also added, "He has played much more than we wanted." The manager’s line leaves little doubt about the approach, even if the player himself is available. Timber has only one Premier League appearance and 44 league minutes this season, so Arsenal are managing him carefully rather than asking for a full workload straight away.
Timber’s managed return
The contested point around Timber’s absence from the Ipswich squad is straightforward enough now. One line of reporting tied it to injury, while another framed it as precautionary, and Arteta’s latest comments fit the second reading. "The other day he had 53 minutes after five months out. We need to look after him," he said. That is the real issue for Arsenal, and it goes beyond one player’s fitness.
White’s situation adds another wrinkle. He has made only three league appearances and played 235 Premier League minutes this season, so any groin problem matters more than it might for a regular starter. William Saliba remains a long-term absentee with a back injury, which leaves Arsenal short of familiar options even before the Brighton trip is considered.
Arsenal’s defensive options for the Amex
Arsenal have won their last five matches and remain perfect across all competitions in the 2026-27 season, so the mood is still strong. Brighton vs Arsenal now arrives as a test of how much rotation Arteta can get away with while keeping the back line stable. Piero Hincapié is another natural part of the discussion if Arsenal need to reshape the right side of defence, but the immediate problem is simpler: the squad is light on fully fit, natural right-sided defenders.
That leaves Arteta with a choice he probably would rather avoid this early in the season. Protect Timber, monitor White, and hope Mosquera recovers quickly, or use another improvised back line away from home. The trip to the Amex on 19 September will tell Arsenal whether their defensive depth is holding up or just being stretched.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →
