Arsenal superstar and England captain Leah Williamson was subbed off with an injury during Arsenal’s midweek WSL encounter, throwing her availability for the 2023 World Cup into disarray.

It was not pretty – Williamson initially looked to require a stretcher, but managed to leave the field on her own accord. She was, however, showing clear signs of pain and discomfort as she hobbled off the pitch. She appeared to roll her ankle while stretching for the ball, immediately signalling for medical attention as she hit the ground.

The injury will be especially frustrating for Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall, who recently criticised his team’s congested schedule – ultimately, it has cost them one of their best players for an unforeseeable amount of time.

Williamson isn’t the only key player at Arsenal to have suffered an injury this season. Both Beth Mead and Vivianne Miedema have been injured for the entirety of 2023, while captain Kim Little has also been recently ruled out of action.

Williamson’s status for the World Cup is currently unknown, but the signs are not optimistic at this stage. She will be assessed and the full extent of her injury will be revealed in due time.

The Lionesses’ World Cup campaign will begin on July 22, when they take on Haiti.