Leah Williamson injury: has Lioness star ruptured her ACL - recovery time and will she make FIFA World Cup?

Arsenal have confirmed that Leah Williamson has ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament. The Gunners travelled to Manchester United’s Leigh Sports Village for what was dubbed a “WSL heavyweight” clash as the two sides entered the match with the aim of edging one step closer to lifting the league trophy.

Arsenal have had their ranks very much depleted this season with Beth Mead and Vivianne Miedema both sustaining ACL injuries back in November. Captain Kim Little was then the latest disaster after it was recently announced she would be forced to miss the remainder of the season after a hamstring injury.

Further tragedy then hit when Leah Williamson fell to the ground within the first 15 minutes of the match against United and immediately called for the Gunners’ medical team to come to her aid. Despite a stretcher being brought onto the pitch, the Lioness captain walked off the pitch to a raptuous applause from both sets of fans and was later seen emerging from the tunnel on crutches. Williamson, 26, was playing in the midfield against United and appeared to catch her studs in the turf and hurt her knee, quickly falling to the ground.

To add insult to the numerous injuries for Eidevall, United’s Alessia Russo then netted what would be the only goal of the match during injury time just before half-time and the Red Devils walked away with the necessary three points, extending their lead at the top of the table, and with zero injury casualties.

What’s been said?

Arsenal have made a statement confirming that the Euros winning captain Leah Williamson has in fact, ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament. The statement read: “Leah was substituted in the first half of the game at Leigh Sports Village and underwent further assessment on Thursday to determine the extent of the injury.

“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.”

Speaking after the match, Williamson’s manager Jonas Eidevall said he “does not know” the extent of the injury but he has remarked that the conditions of the pitch lend themselves to players sustaining injuries: “Of course it’s not good that she had to come off. You see the pitch, it is a pitch that has a lot more (to be desired). I think it’s going to continue here with the schedule we have and pitches like that, players are going to get injured.

“That is something that we all need to improve on, the facilities where we play, so we can keep players on the pitch. We spoke about (scheduling) before the game, that we have managed very well so far this season, having players missing. But I think with all things accumulating here, with suspended players and Leah (Williamson) coming off injured, it was one absence too many for us.”

Will Williamson play in the World Cup?

ACL recovery time is usually expected to be around nine months. With this in mind, Williamson will be unable to captain the side at the upcoming World Cup tournament. She will most likely join Beth Mead on the sidelines after Mead also ruptured her ACL back in November.

Millie Bright is the other injury concern heading into the World Cup. She has been on crutches since March with a knee injury and her recovery time has not been made clear.

England’s first World Cup fixture takes place on Saturday 22 July against Haiti at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Australia, with kick-off scheduled for 10.30am BST.