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Caitlin Foord believes Arsenal will fight harder as their injury list grows.
England will be sweating on the fitness of skipper Leah Williamson after she was forced off during Wednesday night’s 1-0 defeat at Women’s Super League leaders Manchester United — adding to a lengthy list of Gunners absentees.
Forwards Beth Mead and Vivianne Miedema are recovering from knee injuries and captain Kim Little has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a hamstring problem.
Foord is only just coming back from her own hamstring issue and is in contention to return to the squad for the first leg of Arsenal’s Champions League semi-final against Wolfsburg on Sunday.
With four key players sidelined, the challenge for Jonas Eidevall’s side to add to their Continental Cup success this season is getting tougher by the week.
But Foord, 28, insists those available will be putting in the extra yards.
The Australia forward said: “These injuries have brought us closer together in a way, they’ve made other people step up.
“Players like Frida [Maanum], they have stepped in and been flying.
“Missing those girls makes you want to work harder, fight even harder, for your team-mates on the pitch and those who can’t play.
“You see them recovering in the gym and you know they’d love to be in your position.
“You have to make the most of every opportunity — fight for yourself and for them because they can’t do it at the moment, as much as they would want to.”
Attention now turns to Wolfsburg and Foord is pushing to make her comeback in Germany.
The return will be played at the Emirates on May 1, with more than 45,000 tickets already sold as Arsenal aim to lift the trophy for the second time.
Wolfsburg knocked them out in the quarter-finals last season in front of a crowd of just 5,018 in North London.
Foord added: “In one year, the growth and the exposure of the team has been incredible.
“We’re a team people want to support. That’s credit to the manager and players.”
