Beth Mead leaves the pitch after suffering an injury in the final moments of the WSL match at the Emirates. PHOTO: DANIELA TORRES/SPP

ARSENAL boss Jonas Eidevall has denied that fatigue contributed to Beth Mead’s season-ending injury, but did acknowledge the impact a congested fixture list is having on the players.

Mead injured her anterior cruciate ligament on Saturday in the latter stages of the Gunners’ 3-2 defeat against Manchester United in the Women’s Super League.

And while no time frame has yet been put on her recovery, it’s thought the England forward is facing a race against time to be fit for the World Cup next summer, with similar injuries usually sidelining a player for 10 to 12 months.

Mead was due to see a surgeon this week to discover the extent of the damage. “We can confirm that Beth suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in our match against Manchester United at Emirates Stadium on Saturday,” Arsenal said in a statement.

“Unfortunately, this means that Beth is set for an extended period on the sidelines. She will see a surgeon in the coming days, after which further details on timescales will be established.

“Everyone at the club will now be supporting Beth and working hard to get her back on the pitch as soon as possible.”

Speaking ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League match away at Juventus last night (Thursday), Eidevall echoed that support, adding: “The team and all the people around the club have been so supportive. We will care for her and do the best for her during a tough time like this.”

But when quizzed on whether a lack of rotation could have contributed to Mead’s injury, the Swede was quick to point out that the players are always being monitored for any signs of tiredness.

“It’s a good question,” said Eidevall. “It’s hard to answer, of course, because you don’t know all the variables.

“Player loading and fatigue are obviously things that we constantly monitor and we’re concerned about, so if that had been obvious to us leading up to this game, we wouldn’t have played her. But then it still can happen, which makes it so difficult for us. When you see the player’s schedule of games, especially for players playing tournaments, it doesn’t help the injury situation.”

Mead was enjoying the best form of her career. She helped England win Euro 2022 in the summer, earning the Golden Boot and the Player of the Tournament awards in the process. The 27-year-old was also voted BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year, and was the runner-up in the 2022 Ballon d’Or.

Eidevall said the whole Arsenal squad would have to fill the void left by Mead’s absence. He added: “The responsibility in the team is always shared. In a team sport, it’s never an individual’s output that is measured. It’s always the team that will have an output.

“I obviously need to select the team that can create as good an output as possible together. That’s the challenge that we have in front of us.”

Fellow forward Katie McCabe admitted that a starting line-up minus Mead was “a massive loss” for the north Londoners.

Wishing her teammate a speedy recovery, the Republic of Ireland international said: “It’s devastating for [Beth] coming off the pitch with an injury like that. She’s been so important for us over the last few years.

“The high she was on at the minute in terms of her personal achievements, having such a good Euros and a great start to the season for us.

“She’s going to be a massive loss but we’ve got a fantastic medical team around the club and they’ll be doing their utmost to try and get her back. She’s got great support in our team and we’ll be rallying around her, for sure.”