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Arsenal dealt injury blow ahead of crucial Chelsea clash as Lia Walti is stretchered off against Everton

Arsenal's injury woes continued as Lia Walti was stretchered off against Everton on Wednesday, four days before a huge meeting with Chelsea.

Walti stretchered off with ankle concern
Adds to Arsenal's long injury list
Gunners face Chelsea on Sunday

WHAT HAPPENED? With Arsenal 4-0 up in the game, Walti was caught on the ankle by a late challenge from Aggie Beever-Jones and was down in some pain for an extended period of time before eventually being stretchered off. Beever-Jones, the young forward on loan at Everton from Chelsea, was initially only booked for the tackle but after consultation with her assistant, referee Cheryl Foster decided to upgrade the colour of the card to red several minutes later.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: The concerning sight came just four days before Arsenal are due to meet Chelsea on the penultimate weekend of the Women's Super League season, with the fixture to have huge implications on the title race and on who will finish in the Women's Champions League spots. The Gunners are already without Beth Mead, Vivianne Miedema, Leah Williamson, Kim Little, Lina Hurtig and Laura Wienroither due to injuries.

It seems unlikely Walti will be available for that game now, with her reaction to the tackle naturally prompting larger worries given the midfielder is set to captain Switzerland at the 2023 Women's World Cup this summer. That tournament kicks off on July 20.

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DID YOU KNOW? Beever-Jones' sending off was the first for an Everton player in the WSL since 2014, when Nikita Parris received a second yellow card late on in a 2-2 draw with Liverpool.

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