Blow for Arsenal! Beth Mead one of two big absentees for crucial Champions League knockout clash just a few weeks before the Lionesses' World Cup qualifying campaign begins

Mead exited Sunday's 1-0 win over runaway Women's Super League leaders Man City after 68 minutes, without overtly looking like she was suffering from an injury. However, the winger was spotted in a protective boot after the match. Asked about her situation, Arsenal boss Renee Slegers said: "I think we can communicate more later in the week. She’s just played and there’s medical assessments, but when we know more, we’ll communicate more."

After landing in Belgium on Tuesday evening, Slegers provided a further update on Mead, confirming that she had not travelled for the first leg of the Gunners Champions League play-off tie against OH Leuven. "Beth needs some time to offload her shin," she explained.

Arsenal fans will hope Slegers' explanation of Mead's absence points to an injury that can just be managed, rather than a bigger issue. The Gunners have some huge games coming up as the end of the season looms, starting with this Champions League play-off as the reigning European champions look to secure their place in the quarter-finals.

However, there are also opportunities in the next few weeks for Mead to get the rest she may need to keep on top of any pain in her shin. Arsenal are heavy favourites in this tie with Leuven and if they can secure a comfortable win in Belgium, like the 3-0 victory they got over this same opponent in the league phase back in December, Mead may not necessarily be needed for the second leg if it would be better for her to rest.

The Gunners also have an FA Cup tie against second-tier Bristol City later this month that they will be expected to win comfortably and then it is the international break. England boss Sarina Wiegman will hope Mead is available when that comes around, as the Lionesses will be starting their 2027 Women's World Cup qualifying campaign at the start of next month. A trip to Turkey to face Ukraine is first up, before Iceland come to Nottingham Forest's City Ground on March 7.

Mead is not the only absentee for Wednesday's game. After missing Sunday's win over Man City, striker Stina Blackstenius remains unavailable due to "issues with her calf", Slegers explained. Asked at the weekend when the Sweden international might be back, the Arsenal boss said: "We will see. We have a couple of weeks left of the block and we’ll see if she will be able to make her comeback before the international window. She is being assessed every single day with the medical team but it’s there and thereabouts."

Goalkeeper Anneke Borbe is also likely to be absent again, after suffering a nasty head injury in the Gunners' FIFA Women's Champions Cup final win over Corinthians on February 1. Fortunately, her unavailability has coincided with the return to fitness of Daphne van Domselaar, Arsenal's No.1 who had been missing since early December. Taylor Hinds, the England international full-back, remains out with a foot problem.

There is some good news for Arsenal fans, though, as Kyra Cooney-Cross is back with the squad. The midfielder returned home to Australia in early January after her mother, Jess, was devastatingly diagnosed with a terminal and aggressive form of cancer, for which there is no cure, with the club giving 23-year-old all the time she required in an incredibly difficult time for her and her family.

Arsenal's players and fans have given public displays of support for Cooney-Cross during her absence, with her team-mates wearing shirts bearing her name and number when warming up for a clash with Manchester United last month, while members of the crowd also held up signs reading: "We love you Kyra and Jess."

Cooney-Cross is now back with the Arsenal squad and is available to make her return to action against Leuven as the Gunners look to reach the quarter-finals, where they would take on London rivals Chelsea for a place in the last four.