Second coming of CR7: Mbappe was born to play for Madrid

Football on TV in India: Matches to watch & live stream

Palmer, Eze & TAA impress as lacklustre England labour to win

Claim Your Exclusive 1xBet Promo Code 2024: 1GOALIN for ₹66,000

Chelsea taking a massive gamble on Pep disciple Maresca

Ronaldo wants two ex-Real Madrid team-mates at Al-Nassr 

Man Utd's Europa League fate decided by UEFA ahead of ruling

Bayern warned Kompany won't restore Bundesliga dominance next term

Man Utd eye up move for £60m attacker as Martial replacement

The Ballon d'Or moves ever closer for Vinicius Jr

Ronaldo urges Al-Nassr to sign ex-Man Utd team-mate

‘A penalty away’ – Georgina & kids share Ronaldo’s tears

UCL winners Bellingham & Haaland given same Dortmund message

Article continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues below<ul><li>Williamson back on the pitch for Arsenal</li><li>Appeared as a substitute against Reading</li><li>Mead posted on social media to mark her return</li></ul><script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script>

‘The ACL crew!’ - Lionesses star Beth Mead celebrates Leah Williamson’s Arsenal return alongside Vivianne Miedema & fellow long-term injury sufferers

The Gunners have had several players sidelined with an <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/lionesses-arsenal-leah-williamson-unsustainable-schedule-acl-injury-warning-40-player-nfl-squads/blt55b131bec8e41767">anterior cruciate ligament injury</a>&nbsp;in the last couple of years. Vivianne Miedema had to be carried off on a stretcher after she ruptured her ACL during a Champions League game against Lyon in December 2022. Whereas, <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/news/england-arsenal-beth-mead-return-acl-injury-lionesses-sarina-wiegman/blt1e1a810a52be7f62" target="_blank">Mead was sidelined for 11 months </a>after she suffered the same injury a month earlier than Miedema. Williamson joined her <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/leah-williamson-arsenal-jonas-eidevall-lionesses-acl-injury/bltf2989239a51d489b#cs970a76b6f1becc7a" target="_blank">teammates in the treatment room in March 2023</a> which saw her miss the FIFA Women's World Cup last summer along with Mead.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Right-back Laura Wienroither also <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/leah-williamson-arsenal-jonas-eidevall-injury-update/bltd927c75ca85b246c#cs0b2ca1a233060c8e" target="_blank">picked up an ACL injury during a Champions League semi-final against Wolfsburg</a> and is still undergoing rehabilitation. The list continues as 25-year-old American goalkeeper Kaylan Marckese got injured while she was out on loan to Bristol City against Aston Villa in November 2023.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Mead posted a dressing room picture along with her teammates and wrote: "The ACL crew, so proud of you all".<picture><source srcset="https://assets.goal.com/images/v3/blt4205bec48b985efc/Snapinsta.app_422899833_7930773356938939_2562343015841587453_n_1179.jpg?format=webp" type="image/webp"><source srcset="https://assets.goal.com/images/v3/blt4205bec48b985efc/Snapinsta.app_422899833_7930773356938939_2562343015841587453_n_1179.jpg?format=jpg" type="image/jpeg"><img src="https://assets.goal.com/images/v3/blt4205bec48b985efc/Snapinsta.app_422899833_7930773356938939_2562343015841587453_n_1179.jpg?format=jpg" alt="Beth Mead Instagram" data-source="" data-copyright="@bethmead_ Instagram" perform:prop="uuid:blt4205bec48b985efc;width:1179;height:2096"></picture>

WHAT MEAD SAID

Women footballers are reported to be six times more likely to suffer ACL injuries compared to their male counterparts, according to a<a href="https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12926431/future-of-football-why-acl-injuries-have-been-on-rise-in-womens-game-and-the-technology-and-solutions-to-fix-it" target="_blank"> Sky Sports report</a>. Additionally, female footballers face a 25 per cent lower likelihood of fully recovering and returning from ACL injuries.

DID YOU KNOW?

Mead and Co. will hope to remain injury-free for the rest of the campaign as they are fighting for a domestic treble. They are third in the WSL standings, just three points behind leaders Chelsea, finished as group leaders in the FA Women's League Cup and are still alive in the Women's FA Cup. They will be back in action against Liverpool on Sunday in a league fixture.

WHAT NEXT?

‘The ACL crew!’ - Lionesses star Beth Mead celebrates Leah Williamson’s Arsenal return alongside Vivianne Miedema & fellow long-term injury sufferers | Goal.com India

Beth Mead celebrated Leah Williamson’s Arsenal return alongside Vivianne Miedema and other ACL injury sufferers with a heartwarming social media post.

‘The ACL crew!’ - Lionesses star Beth Mead celebrates Leah Williamson’s Arsenal return alongside Vivianne Miedema &amp; fellow long-term injury sufferers