Americans Abroad: How Lindsey Horan, Emily Fox, Catarina Macario and others are faring with Euro clubs

INDIVISA looks at how the nine USWNT stars representing teams in Europe are performing

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  Emily Fox: Arsenal

  Injury to Laura Wienroither has left Arsenal thin at right-back for most of the first half of the season, meaning Emily Fox has had more workload that perhaps she and the club anticipated before Christmas. She's dealt with it admirably though, playing a key role in the Gunners' resurgent form under interim coach Renee Slegers.

  Head coach Jonas Eidevall stepped down from his role in mid-October but his former assistant has helped steady the ship, with Arsenal winning 10 of 11 games under his charge. That form has helped re-establish the Gunners in the Women's Super League, sat third at the winter break, and qualify for the Champions League quarter-finals as group winners.

  Fox has started every game in that run, and in this season, with a break over the festive period certainly well earned by the U.S. star. The club will hope that Wienroither can stay fit to help share the minutes out a little more in the second half of the campaign, when fixtures are likely to come thick and fast as Arsenal participate in the latter stages of the FA Cup, League Cup and Champions League.

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  Lindsey Horan: Lyon

  It's been quite the season so far for Lindsey Horan. As the Premiere Ligue in France hits the winter break, the midfielder has a remarkable 10 goals and three assists from just eight matches, one of the most impressive performers across the entire division so far this campaign. That form has helped Lyon establish an early lead over Paris Saint-Germain in the title race, three points clear of its biggest rival after 11 games.

  Horan's form has been less explosive in the Champions League, with one goal and one assist in five starts, but those were still important contributions as OL qualified for the quarter-finals as a group winner, meaning a second-placed team will await in the knockout rounds.

  Her sole strike helped establish a more comfortable 2-0 lead in a victory of the same scoreline over two-time European champions Wolfsburg, while her assist helped the French giants to an impressive 3-0 win against Roma, in Italy. Lyon's aim this season will be to win every trophy on offer and if Horan keeps up this form in the New Year, she will only increase her team's chances of achieving as much.

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  Korbin Albert: PSG

  It's not been an easy season so far for PSG. Elimination in the Champions League qualifying rounds got things off to a bad start and defeat to Lyon in early November. Combined with dropped points against Paris FC a month later, that means OL are three points clear at the top of the table. But there is still a lot of time for the Parisians to claw back that deficit, at least.

  For Korbin Albert, there have been some real positives. After racking up 938 minutes last season, the midfielder has started all 10 of the league games she's been available for this term, meaning she is on track to surpass last year's game time before spring. She's also scored twice already this campaign, despite coming into it with only three goals for the club in total.

  Albert's importance within the team is growing and that is reflected in her performances, with the 21-year-old joint-top for dribbles completed and tackles won in the PSG squad. Continuing into this vein will only increase the chances she gets with the USWNT, too.

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  Eva Gaetino: PSG

  After a slightly unsettled start to the season, that Eva Gaetino has fallen into more of a rhythm at PSG in the last few weeks has been good for her and she will hope that continues into the New Year. In the early days under new coach Fabrice Abriel, Gaetino was sometimes playing at center-back, sometimes midfield and sometimes not playing at all. However, she started all six of the Parisians' last six games before the winter break.

  Breaking into the USWNT is no easy thing to do, especially not in a competitive position like center-back, but Gaetino's chances will be increased if she can continue to get this sort of game time - and in the relevant position, too. PSG has a lot of depth in that area as well, so she will have no small task on her hands in keeping hold of her starting role in the second half of the season as she also looks to increase her standing with the national team.

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  Catarina Macario: Chelsea

  Patience has been the name of the game for Catarina Macario this season so far, as she's still working her way back to full fitness and yet to start in the Women's Super League as a result. However, she closed out the first half of the campaign with a bang on Tuesday, coming off the bench as a half time substitute to turn Chelsea's 1-0 deficit against Real Madrid into a 2-1 win, scoring twice to ensure the Blues qualified for the Champions League quarter-finals as group winners.

  That took her tally for the current season up to four goals and three assists, despite only two of her 10 appearances in all competitions coming from the start. Averaging a direct goal involvement every 52 minutes, the signs are certainly positive when it comes to Macario's form and sharpness.

  Now, it's just about continuing to work hard to be ready to play more minutes in the New Year. She could be a real difference maker as Chelsea battle for trophies on four fronts.

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  Mia Fishel: Chelsea

  After suffering a devastating ACL injury back in February, Mia Fishel is still to return to the pitch as Chelsea heads into the winter break. Understandably, Blues boss Sonia Bompastor hasn't given any specific timeline for her return to action, as it's important for the striker to take her time after such a long period on the sidelines. However, that comeback will get ever nearer as the New Year comes around.

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  Kristie Mewis: West Ham

  Kristie Mewis is another U.S. star who has not been in action for a while, albeit for much more positive reasons. After being absent for West Ham since a league defeat to Manchester United back in September, she announced on Nov. 18 that she was pregnant, with her and her partner, Chelsea striker Sam Kerr, expecting their first child in 2025.

  More updates of a truly wholesome manner will surely fill the social feeds in the coming months.

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  Lily Yohannes (Ajax)

  The only player on this list with one more game to play before Christmas, Lily Yohannes' Ajax will close out 2024 with a home match against Excelsior on Sunday, hoping to pick up a ninth win in 11 league outings to keep the pressure up on PSV, the Eredivisie leaders. Despite losing to the team from Eindhoven earlier this month, Ajax are level on points at the top, with only goal difference separating the pair.

  It's been a good recovery from an underwhelming start to the season for Ajax, with elimination in Champions League qualifying quite disappointing given how well the Amsterdam club performed in Europe last term and a 6-1 thrashing at the hands of Twente in the Super Cup bitterly frustrating. With starts in nine of the team's 10 league games to date, Yohannes has played her part in helping Ajax bounce back too, scoring three times and registering one assist as she continues her very promising development, still aged just 17.

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  Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Man Utd)

  A new addition to this list after her maiden USWNT call-up in November, Phallon Tullis-Joyce has been one of the most impressive Americans abroad all season long, if not the most impressive. Now Man Utd's No.1 after Mary Earps' departure in the summer, she has certainly risen to the occasion, with no goalkeeper conceding on fewer occasions in the first half of the WSL season.

  Tullis-Joyce has started all 10 of the Red Devils' fixtures in the competition, kept a league-leading seven clean sheets and had to pick the ball out of the back of her net just three times. She also has the best save percentage in the WSL, at over 90 percent.

  Firmly in the running to be Man Utd's Player of the Season and also to win the Golden Glove in the league, Tullis-Joyce's priority, though, will be team achievements over these individual accolades. If she can keep up this form, she could help the Red Devils return to the Champions League, with Marc Skinner's side only outside of the three European places on goal difference at the winter break. She may also earn herself a few more USWNT call-ups.