Manchester City manager Gareth Taylor has confirmed that Alex Greenwood won’t be available for the WSL match against Arsenal this weekend.

The defender suffered a concussion in England’s 3-2 defeat to Belgium earlier this week. She was taken off midway through the first half and has been undergoing treatment since then. Asked about Greenwood’s fitness at his press conference on Friday, Taylor said:

“It was a scary and uncomfortable moment, but she’s very brave and determined and so brave in all she does and plays. She’s frustrated because she’ll miss the weekend, but excited by what we’ve done so far this season, and she’s played a big part in that.”

“But, of course, her welfare is the most important thing. The handover with England was really good, she’s now back in our camp. Of course (it’s too early to predict when she will return) – she is due to see a specialist next week, so we’ll learn more once the experts have assessed her.”

The City star must adhere to concussion protocols

After suffering the head injury on Tuesday evening, Greenwood was always going to be unavailable for the game at Meadow Park on Sunday. There are protocols in place that mean footballers must have a minimum of six days rest after a concussion.

From that point on, Greenwood will undergo an assessment by a medical professional. It is a five-stage process to be given the all-clear to play again.

The player can’t do any physical activity prior to getting approval. They will then be gradually brought back into the fold through light aerobic exercises, sport-specific exercises, non-contact drills and, finally, full-contact training.

When could Greenwood return to action?

City take on Liverpool in the Conti Cup on Wednesday night and there is a chance that Greenwood could be available for that game.

However, it is more likely that the England international will be given extra time to recover, with the Brighton fixture on Sunday 12th November the more realistic date for a comeback.