Watch as Jurrien Timber scores stunning goal on Arsenal U21s return

Jurrien Timber scored within eight minutes of his return to action with a stunning goal for Arsenal's Under-21s against Blackburn Rovers on Monday. The 22-year-old was included in a squad for the first time in eight months and his Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury on the opening day of the season against Nottingham Forest.

It has been a long road back for the defender after he arrived at the club from Holland last summer, but it didn't take him long to get to speed. Popping up on the left side, Timber cut onto his favoured right foot towards the edge of the box and fired in a wonderful curling shot to hand his side the lead.

Timber started the game alongside fellow first-team hopefuls Ethan Nwanersi and Myles Lewis-Skelly. Operating in a left-back role, the Dutchman had been drifting infield as Mikel Arteta's full-backs tend to, mirroring the position that Oleksandr Zinchenko has been playing for the past two years.

He received the ball in advanced wide spot for the goal though, taking a neat touch before turning, moving away from goal, and then twisting his body to fire high into the top corner. Having been out for action since August it was quite the introduction back to life on the pitch.

Timber has been in partial training at the Sobha Realty Training Complex for over a month now, carrying out work on the ball since the winter break in January. It is still too soon for an introduction to the Premier League again though.

"That's a quick step!," Arteta said when asked if he could feature against Tottenham at the weekend. "Let's see how he feels today. He has been training really good, he looks ready.

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"He needs that exposure and after that we will assess whether that game comes at the right time or too fast. We will try to get him with us for the final games."

Arsenal host Chelsea on Tuesday, a game that Timber will once again miss, but his goal at Ewood Park acts as a reminder of his quality. Full of confidence after his sensational strike against Blackburn, Timber was even drawn into taking another shot from distance later in the half.