Arteta advised against playing injured Arsenal player in midfield against Tottenham, despite being a standout player.

Mikel Arteta is facing a tough decision when it comes to his midfield options. According to Rafael van der Vaart, Arsenal has a "special player" in Jurrien Timber, but the Dutchman warns against throwing him into the midfield against Tottenham Hotspur.

Timber, who joined the Gunners from Ajax last year, had his first season in England cut short due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury on his Premier League debut. However, he has now fully recovered and has earned a spot in Arteta's starting lineup, playing at left-back in their last two games against Aston Villa and Brighton.

But with a number of setbacks hitting Arsenal's midfield options, the team is in a difficult position heading into their match against Tottenham. Martin Odegaard will be out due to an ankle injury sustained while on international duty with Norway, Declan Rice is suspended from his controversial red card, and summer signing Mikel Merino is also unavailable due to a fractured shoulder.

This leaves Arteta with limited options in the middle of the park, with Thomas Partey and Jorginho being his only choices. Meanwhile, Kai Havertz has been thriving in a more advanced role. Arteta had previously mentioned the possibility of using Timber in the midfield this season, but van der Vaart believes it may not be the right time to do so just yet.

The former Tottenham midfielder praises Timber's versatility and ability to play in different positions on the pitch, but he also notes that the Dutchman has not played in the midfield for a long time. Van der Vaart believes that Timber will become a key player for Arsenal, but now is the time for the fans and the rest of England to see just how good he is.

During the international break, Timber played for the Netherlands alongside his twin brother Quinten, making them the first Dutch brothers to share the pitch since Frank and Ronald de Boer in 2003. Van der Vaart also predicts that Quinten, who plays for Feyenoord, will soon be snapped up by a Premier League team due to his talent and tenacity on the ball.

Van der Vaart was speaking on behalf of BetMGM, promoting their new £1million Golden Goals game where players can predict Premier League scores and potentially win big. He also wished Timber and Arsenal the best for their upcoming match against Tottenham, a game that is sure to be a tough and thrilling encounter.

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