Tom Olver
Published November 24, 2025 9:12am
Updated November 24, 2025 9:14am
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Jurrien Timber has started all but one of Arsenal’s first 12 matches in the Premier League (Picture: Getty)
Micah Richards says Jurrien Timber’s ‘exceptional’ start to life with Arsenal means fans ‘don’t mention Ben White anymore’.
The Gunners ensured they moved six points clear at the top of the Premier League table with a statement 4-1 win over Tottenham, in what was a thoroughly one-sided north London derby on Sunday afternoon.
Eberechi Eze well and truly took centre stage with the first hat-trick in the derby since the Premier League’s inception, with Leandro Trossard having already opened the scoring at the Emirates.
Timber was once again imperious in his 12th straight league appearance of the campaign, putting in another near-faultless display at right-back to shut out Wilson Odobert for the most part.
The Dutchman also further underlined his growing importance going forward with the assist for Eze’s second to get the hosts off to a dream start in the second period.
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It’s surprise that Mikel Arteta described Timber as a ‘total player’ just last month, with the Netherlands international fast becoming one of the first names on the teamsheet, alongside the likes of Gabriel Magalhaes, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka.
Timber’s rise to prominence has been such that White, once a guaranteed starter, now finds himself struggling for minutes under Arteta. A combination of form, competition and fitness have meant the England defender has made just one sole appearance in the Premier League this term.
Eze took centre stage with a stunning hat-trick (Picture: Getty)
White was left on the bench at the Emirates (Picture: Getty)
According to ex-Manchester City defender Richards, White – an unused substitute against Spurs – has become something of a forgotten man while the likes of Timber continue to take Arsenal to new heights.
‘The fact they brought in [Piero] Hincapie as well at centre-half and the question before the game was whether or not Arsenal can score a goal only from a set-piece and would they miss Gabriel,’ Richards said on The Rest Is Football podcast.
‘They didn’t miss Gabriel, they didn’t miss him one bit.
‘So they’ve now got four top centre-backs, with [Cristhian] Mosquera coming on as well and then with [William] Saliba and Gabriel.
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Previous Page Next Page‘Then you’ve got the full-backs as well. People don’t mention Ben White anymore because Timber is so exceptional.
‘You’ve got [Myles] Lewis-Skelly as well. It’s just ridiculous. [Riccardo] Calafiori!
‘The squad that Arsenal have assembled is too strong and if they can build with that confidence and get that momentum…
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Arsenal fans ‘don’t mention’ White anymore, says Richards (Picture: Getty)
‘There are going to be swings and roundabouts. Manchester City are going to win a couple and Arsenal will lose a couple, but if they can just stay on the right track then they’re well on their way.’
Alan Shearer asserted that Manchester City remained Arsenal’s ‘most likely’ challengers for the title this season, despite their disappointing 2-1 defeat to Newcastle at the weekend.
Micah Richards agreed with his fellow pundit on the podcast, while tipping Chelsea as potential outsiders for the crown.
However, he doubts Enzo Maresca’s men will ‘have enough’ come the business end of the season, stating: ‘I would say Manchester City as well but I think Chelsea could beat anyone on their day,’ he chimed in.
‘I think they [Chelsea] can put in really good performances, as we saw in the Club World Cup.
‘I don’t think they have enough at the moment to go all the way, but they’re improving.’
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