Manchester City’s Alex Greenwood Undergoes “Successful” Knee Operation

Alex Greenwood, who transferred to Manchester City from Lyon in 2020, the club’s captain, has had “successful” knee surgery, according to the team. The 31-year-old player was removed from the field on a stretcher during the initial half of City’s Champions League victory over St Polten last week. Greenwood appeared to be in significant pain after falling to the ground subsequent to an unusual tackle involving St Polten forward Melanie Brunnthaler. Initially, the club was concerned the England defender had sustained an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) tear; however, it was later determined that the full-back had injured her Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL), an injury generally associated with a quicker recovery period. Manchester City has not specified a timeline for Greenwood’s comeback, but stated she will now rejoin the team to collaborate closely with the medical staff during her rehabilitation. On Instagram, Greenwood posted, alongside an image of herself in a hospital bed, “Not the ending to 2024 that I had planned.” She added, “I will work so hard to be back on the pitch as soon as I can.” Greenwood, who has represented England in 96 matches, has played 16 times for City during the current season. Manchester City currently holds the second position in the Women’s Super League (WSL), trailing by six points behind the leading team and reigning champions, Chelsea. This injury to Greenwood represents an additional setback for England manager Sarina Wiegman, who is contending with numerous injured players potentially unavailable for the Women’s Nations League fixtures scheduled for 2025. The international period in February features a game against world champions Spain at Wembley, along with an away fixture in Portugal, which Greenwood is expected to miss. This incident interferes with her preparations for Euro 2025, occurring as Greenwood was attempting to secure a starting position amidst strong competition from fellow centre-backs Leah Williamson and Millie Bright. She anticipates returning for the April fixtures against Belgium – merely three months prior to the Euros commencing in Switzerland – though insufficient playing time will hinder her prospects. For Manchester City, this represents a considerable setback, meaning they conclude the year without Greenwood, Lauren Hemp, and Khadija Shaw – all vital contributors to their pursuit of the title.