'Really aggressive': Gary Neville blown away by what he saw from £38m Arsenal player vs Manchester City

Arsenal were seconds away from one of their best performances under Mikel Arteta after drawing 2-2 with Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.

The Gunners conceded a 98th-minute equaliser as the north London side came inches away from a famous win against Pep Guardiola’s side despite playing the entire second-half with just ten men after Leandro Trossard’s red card.

With Guardiola raging over Riccardo Calafiori’s goal for Arsenal, Arteta’s side really got under City’s skin in what was an excellent game for the neutral, with the Premier League title race wide open with Liverpool currently leading the pack.

And Gary Neville was left impressed with one Arsenal player in particular against City.

Jurrien Timber hailed after ‘good’ Arsenal performance vs Man City

Speaking on Sky Sports coverage of the match, the pundit lauded Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber after his display against City, with Neville saying: “He is a good defender, Timber, he really is. He gets really aggressive against the ball, he gets tight.”

Signed for £38m last summer, Timber has finally integrated into Arsenal’s starting XI after missing all of last season due to an ACL injury, with the Dutch international appearing in every single game for the Gunners already this campaign.

Starting at right-back ahead of Ben White before shifting into central defence for the second-half, Timber gave an excellent account for himself at the Etihad Stadium and showed no sign of rustiness despite missing a year of Premier League action.

And for Arsenal fans, the 23-year-old defender showed why he is an outstanding prospect for the future and someone Arteta was right to trust this season, even after being out injured for nine months last campaign.

Timber has felt like a new signing for Arsenal this season

Having played just three times in the last campaign for the Gunners, Timber’s return this season has truly felt like a new signing for Arsenal given how versatile the former Ajax man is already proving to be for the north London side.

Timber has already featured in three different positions for Arsenal in just six games this season, with the Dutch international thriving in every game and looking like the real deal even after one of the worst injuries an athlete can endure.

And at City, Timber was nothing short of fantastic, with the 23-year-old showing why he will be a key part of Arsenal’s present and future under Arteta, and why the Basque coach was right to stick alongside the defender.