Alex Greenwood: Manchester Metropolis defender undergoes knee operation to worsen Gareth Taylor harm headache | Soccer information

Manchester Metropolis defender Alex Greenwood has undergone knee surgical procedure following a medial collateral ligament (MCL) harm.

The captain was stretchered off throughout the first half of Man Metropolis’s Champions League win over St Polten earlier this month.

Supervisor Gareth Taylor initially mentioned “the harm was not as severe as initially feared”, however a membership assertion on Thursday revealed Greenwood required “restore to his MCL”.

Relying on the severity of the tear, MCL restoration can take between three and 12 months, with no set timeframe for the defender’s return to motion.

Forwards Vivianne Miedema and Lauren Hemp are additionally sidelined with long-term knee accidents, whereas Khadija Shaw will not return till January.

Man City were beaten 3-0 by Barcelona – in addition to dropping to Everton within the WSL on Sunday – of their remaining match earlier than the winter break to concede high spot of their Champions League group, however had already sealed their qualification for the knockout phases.

The information can be an equally important blow to Sarina Wiegman and England, who start their Euro title protection on July 2. The 31-year-old was a key a part of the Lionesses group that reached the World Cup remaining in 2023.

Evaluation: Man Metropolis wants Greenwood as a lot as England

Manchester Metropolis have been hit with a extreme dose of unhealthy luck throughout the first half of this season. The lack of Lauren Hemp was manageable, such is the dearth of offensive expertise on the group, however issues have since gone downhill.

Vivianne Miedema has suffered one other harm setback in her wrestle to achieve full health, high scorer Khadija Shaw is out, whereas Greenwood’s absence has meant Metropolis have misplaced 5 targets within the two video games since her harm – dropping each.

It shouldn’t be underestimated what a blow that is to Metropolis’s title possibilities, European hopes and England’s prospects for Euro 2025 subsequent summer time.

With out leaping to the worst-case state of affairs, Greenwood’s full restoration might take as much as 9 months, though no particulars have been revealed on the extent of the tear.

As reinforcements, Metropolis have Laia Aleixandri and Alanna Kennedy – each dependable – however no substitute for Greenwood’s capacity to dictate from deep, nor the management to arrange what’s now a really younger group. Gareth Taylor can be praying for a fast return.