Arsenal confirm key defender set for “extended” spell on the sidelines after ACL injury

England captain Leah Williamson has suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and will miss the remainder of the campaign - and this summer’s World Cup.

The Lionesses skipper suffered the injury early into her side’s 1-0 defeat to Manchester United on Wednesday and now the club have confirmed the devastating news that she has suffered an ACL injury that will rule her out of this summer’s World Cup.

Williamson, 26, was taken off at Leigh Sports Village after an innocuous looking challenge and Arsenal have now confirmed the defender is set for an “extended” spell on the sides.

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“We can confirm that Leah Williamson suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in our Barclays Women’s Super League match against Manchester United on Wednesday night” a statement on Arsenal’s official site read.

“Leah will now begin a period of rehabilitation and is set for an extended spell on the sidelines. She will undergo surgery in due course. Everyone at Arsenal will be supporting Leah closely throughout the journey ahead and we would ask that her privacy is respected at this time” it added.

The injury is just the latest in a season of unpredented injuries for the North London side. Fellow Lionesses star and Euro 2022 player of the tournament Beth Mead is another that is almost certainly ruled out of this summer’s tournament after suffering an ACL injury of her own in late 2022.

Vivianne Miedema is already ruled out of the tournament after the Dutch forward suffered the same injury during the Champions League clash with Lyon, while captain Kim Little was ruled out for the remainder of the campaign with a hamstring injury earlier in the week.

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Williamson’s injury deals Lionesses boss Sarina Wiegman a significant blow heading into the World Cup this July with doubts over Chelsea pair Fran Kirby and Millie Bright, who have both been missing for the reigning champions for a number of weeks.

Arsenal travel to Germany to face Wolfsburg this weekend in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-final and earlier in the week head coach Jonas Eidevall blasted the schedule his side have been handed by saying: “I find it very odd that we are the only team of the two English teams that are forced to play before our semi-final.

“I can’t see the reasons for it. It’s something we have to look into after, for the appropriate time, because I can’t see the logic.”