Beth Mead 2023Getty

Meado's back! Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall confirms Lionesses star Beth Mead is ready to make comeback from 11-month ACL injury layoff against Aston Villa in the WSL

  • Mead set to return for Arsenal
  • Was last involved in competitive action back in November
  • Could feature against Aston Villa

WHAT HAPPENED? The Gunners forward ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament in November 2022 against Manchester United. The injury forced her to spend not only the rest of the previous season in the stands but also dashed her hopes of participating in the 2023 World Cup.

However, she has successfully recovered from her injury and could feature against Aston Villa on Sunday as revealed by manager Jonas Eidevall.

WHAT THEY SAID: "For squad selection, we have one more training session to go. If she goes through that, she should be 100 per cent ready for selection in the squad," he told reporters.

"She has a lovely energy, she plays the game with it. She has a right and left foot, really good attacking qualities. We all know she is a quality football player, and we're really looking forward to having her back on the pitch," he added.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Mead had been training at full throttle all week to up the ante before her potential return. She was earlier included in Arsenal's Women's Champions League qualifiers squad last month but did not play a minute as the north London outfit crashed out.

Mead was not the only Arsenal player to have an ACL injury as Vivianne Miedema, Leah Williamson and Laura Wienrother have all suffered the same fate.

"Unfortunately, we have a group who have all gone through the same thing," Eidevall added.

"At the end of the day, you need to deal with your things yourself. Even if it looks on paper like you have the same injury, it's never exactly the same. There are always differences, and as with anything going on in your life, there are similarities. You can help, but at the end of the day everything is going to be unique to you as an individual.

"I try to be very mindful of that, not treating people with similar situations like a package. You need to look at it individually, but both of them are now close to returning to play and hopefully Beth can be in the squad on Sunday."

IN TWO PHOTOS:

Beth Mead Alessia Russo England Women 2022GettyBeth Mead Arsenal 2022-23Getty

WHAT NEXT? Arsenal are still looking for their first win in the WSL this season as they have drawn and lost one each in their first two games. If they find themselves in need of a goal in the second half against Villa on Sunday, Eidevall might be tempted to throw Mead into the mix.

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