Jonas Eidevall has given updates on Arsenal’s injured players ahead of the game against Manchester United on Saturday at the Emirates.
Arsenal go into their game against Manchester United missing a number of key players but, before the match, Jonas Eidevall met with the press to give the latest updates on when we can expect players to return and it wasn’t all bad news.
Leah Williamson
Currently out with a foot injury (more below), Eidevall said, “She’s closer than she was before.
“I think she’s progressing really well. I think it’s realistic in the block of games that we are in, that both Leah and Rafa will return here to the team.
“In terms of what exact opponent, we’ll have to wait.”
Rafaelle
See above.
Kim Little
Little is currently sidelined with a knee injury (more below) and is not expected back until mid-January at the earliest.
Eidevall said, “She’s doing very much like you would suppose Kim Little is doing. She’s 110% in everything she does. And we don’t have a different update in terms of timescale at the moment.
“But things are progressing and she’s working really hard. So I hope she can return in the not-so-distant future.”
Beth Mead
Mead withdrew from the England squad during the most recent international break (more below) but is available for selection against Manchester United.
Jordan Nobbs
Nobbs withdrew from the England squad during the most recent international break (more below) but is available for selection against Manchester United.
Manuela Zinsberger
Zinsberger withdrew from the Austria squad during the most recent international break but is available for selection against Manchester United.
Vivianne Miedema
Miedema took a leave of absence but will return to the squad for the game against Manchester United.
“Of course, it’s very good [to have her back]”, Eidevall said. “We need every player in the squad to be ready. We have tough opponents and tough games ahead of us, so that is very helpful for us.”
Lina Hurtig
Is not available for selection due to an unspecified injury.
Lotte Wubben-Moy
“She’s available for selection,” Eidevall said.
“I think that’s the thing when the games come around quickly: sometimes one game would just come one day too early for you.
“That means you make a sensible decision that’s the right one that day, but if the game had been played on Wednesday, maybe would have been able to play. So she’s available.”
Arsenal kick-off against Manchester United at the Emirates on Saturday 19 November 2022 at 5.30pm UK time.
The match is live on Sky Sports.
14 November 2022
Beth Mead has withdrawn from the England squad ahead of their game against Norway on Tuesday night.
Beth Mead, who won her 50th cap for the Lionesses on Friday as they defeated Japan 4-0, returned home the following day due to ‘family circumstances’.
The exact nature of those circumstances have not been made public, as I’m sure you can understand.
She will now miss England’s game on Tuesday night against Norway.
In a statement, the FA said: “Beth Mead has withdrawn from the England squad due to family circumstances.
“Lucy Bronze will also leave the squad and return to her club over the weekend as a precaution due to a minor injury.
8 November 2022
Kim Little out for 10 weeks, Nobbs also injured
Arsenal women are facing something of an injury crisis and another name has just been added to their growing list.
As Arsenal beat Leicester on Sunday to retake top spot in the WSL, they had to do so without a number of key players.
Rafaelle is out with a fractured metatarsal while Leah Williamson is also out with a foot injury that was bad enough to need crutches.
Williamson should hopefully be back in action in around a month.
Kim Little was also missing with the midfielder damaging her MCL against West Ham last week.
Although it hasn’t been confirmed by Arsenal, Little is expected to miss around 10 weeks of action.
https://twitter.com/awfclips/status/1589640186253971457
Now, Jordan Nobbs has been sent home from England duty after picking up a problem that has not yet been specified.
Of course, Vivianne Miedema, while not injured, is also unavailable. The player is on a leave of absence after she requested some time off from the club.
Arsenal’s next game is a home match at the Emirates against Manchester United on 19 November with a kick-off time of 5.30pm. Tickets are still available if you would like to attend.
In other women’s news, Lotte Wubben-Moy has been speaking about how she will be boycotting the men’s World Cup this year.
“It’s tough,” the 23-year-old said.
“As an England team we all have strong values. And a lot of those values aren’t reflected in the way that we see it in Qatar. I think it’s a tough conversation to have and there’s a lot of dialogue around it.