Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber scores rocket just eight minutes into first match since injury

Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber has scored just eight minutes on his comeback having spent most of the season injured.

Timber, who signed last summer from Ajax, made his first start in football on Monday night, playing for the Arsenal Under-21s as he builds fitness up having spent most of the season on the sidelines.

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And the defender made an immediate impact, scoring a beautiful goal against Blackburn just eight minutes into the match.

Collecting the ball on the left-hand side, Timber cut back on his preferred right foot before delivering a sensational strike which whizzed past the goalkeeper.

Arsenal snapped up Timber from Ajax last summer for £34million and had been heralded as a major coup for Mikel Arteta.

However, just moments into his Premier League debut for the Gunners, he ruptured his ACL against Nottingham Forest in August.

Such an injury is one of the most serious in football and Timber was ruled out for eight months, but he returned to light training at the end of February.

Arsenal have been extremely careful with the Netherlands international and have not rushed him back, allowing him all of March to continue building his fitness.

The final stage before reintroducing him to matchday squads is a stint with the Under-21s to get back to match fitness.

And the defender wasted no time showing Arsenal fans what he is all about with a brilliant finish in the opening exchanges.

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Whether or not Timber returns to first-team action before the end of the season remains to be seen.

But the signs are encouraging for Arteta, whose side are still locked in a title battle with Liverpool and Manchester City.

The Gunners are currently top of the Premier League by goal difference while City are a point behind with a game in hand.

Arsenal play Chelsea on Tuesday night at the Emirates, live on talkSPORT, knowing that any dropped points could allow Liverpool and City to leapfrog them.