Arsenal captain Kim Little to miss the rest of 2022/23

Arsenal captain Kim Little will miss the remainder of the 2022/23 season with a hamstring injury, ruling her out of the Gunners’ crucial WSL run-in and remaining Champions League campaign.

Little suffered the injury in the early stages of the Champions League quarter-final second leg against Bayern Munich last month. Tests conducted in the last couple of weeks have now confirmed that she will not be back on the pitch until the start of next season.

Arsenal have described the early stages of her rehabilitation to be ‘progressing well’. Little will continue to be closely monitored by the club’s medical staff.

Although they have coped admirably without her in recent games – going on to beat Bayern and mounting a comeback win against Manchester City in the WSL – confirmation of Little’s absence is a huge blow for Arsenal at an absolutely crucial stage of the season.

In just the next few days alone, she will miss the massively important trip to Manchester United, as well as the Champions League semi-final first leg against Wolfsburg.

Little was already a doubt for the United game, in addition to Katie McCabe being suspended and Lia Walti currently taking a personal break after citing mental exhaustion. The Gunners have also been without Beth Mead and Vivianne Miedema since before Christmas.

Victory for Arsenal over United at Leigh Sports Village would be a statement result after losing the reverse fixture at the Emirates Stadium in November. Three points would also move them level with WSL leaders United, with a game in hand still to play. Defeat, however, would open up a six-point, gap – one that even with a game in hand, would be difficult to close.