Viv’s back with a banger to boost Gunners title tilt
ON four occasions last season, Arsenal saw their title challenge dented by an anterior cruciate ligament injury to one of their key players.
First, Beth Mead in November 2022. Then, Vivianne Miedema a month later. Just as the Gunners had recovered, Leah Williamson and Laura Wienroither sustained the same injury in April and May.
One by one, they are making their returns. One by one, they are coming up with moments that could prove crucial in this season’s title charge.
It was Mead’s assist that secured Arsenal a stoppage-time victory over Aston Villa in October. Mead was the first to return and the first to get back to her best form. It has taken Miedema, who returned in the same month, longer to get going.
Until yesterday she had not scored in the WSL this season. But when her team looked to be running out of answers against a stubborn Liverpool defence, the forward reminded everyone why she is still one of the best players in the world.
Her fine goal on the hour mark got the Gunners up and running before Caitlin Foord hit a second nine minutes later. It keeps Arsenal within three points of Chelsea and level with Manchester City. It also gives them a healthy gap of seven points from fourth-placed Manchester United.
‘Someone just said it’s been more than 400 days since I last scored in the WSL,’ Miedema said. ‘The way the girls celebrated with me says enough. It’s been a long time coming. I’ve worked really hard for that. Since the winter break, I feel like a different player — so much more like me.’
Wienroither is the only member of Arsenal’s ‘ACL club’ who is yet to make her comeback. Yesterday saw Williamson included in a WSL squad for the first time in nine months after she made her return to the pitch as a substitute in last week’s League Cup tie with Reading, where she assisted a Mead goal in a 6-0 win.
With England manager Sarina Wiegman watching on in the stands, she will no doubt feel frustrated she did not get on here — especially with an international camp on the horizon next month. But Williamson’s return to fitness will be timely ahead of upcoming fixtures with City in the FA Cup and United in the league. Keeping all their players fit this term will give Arsenal every chance of ending Chelsea’s four-year reign as champions. They had to be patient yesterday after dominating a first half which brought few clear-cut chances. Victoria Pelova and Katie McCabe forced Liverpool goalkeeper Rachel Laws into comfortable saves while Yana Daniels sent a header just wide at the other end. The best opportunity fell to Lotte Wubben-Moy, but the Arsenal defender could only send a free header straight into the gloves of Laws. On 60 minutes, Miedema picked up the ball in space and was allowed to drive forward. Liverpool’s defence made the mistake of backing off, allowing the Dutch forward to send an emphatic strike, which took a slight deflection off Gemma Bonner, over Laws and into the top right corner. As Liverpool pushed forward in search of an equaliser, Arsenal were able to exploit the gaps they left behind. Alessia Russo drove down the right wing at speed and cut the ball across for Foord to finish past Laws.