Miedema to miss start of season with knee injury
Retold by Oddsrama · 1 September 2026
Manchester City's prolific striker Vivianne Miedema will sit out the opening fixtures of the Women's Super League season due to a knee injury that has forced her onto the sidelines just as the campaign gets underway. The 30-year-old Dutch international, who netted 10 goals and provided five assists in the league last term as City clinched their first WSL title since 2016, will not be available when Pep Guardiola's side host newly promoted Birmingham City on Sunday.
The good news for City fans is that medical assessments have ruled out a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury. The club has also emphasized that this current problem is distinct from previous knee issues Miedema has battled with during her career. Despite undergoing surgical work on her knee at the close of last season, she managed a largely injury-free campaign, proving her fitness across 25 appearances in all competitions where she scored an impressive 19 goals.
For betting purposes, Miedema's absence at the start of the season could affect Manchester City's attacking output in their early matches. With one of Europe's most lethal strikers unavailable, backing City's attacking lines in the opening weeks might offer different value than usual. Her recovery timeline remains unclear, but the fact it's not an ACL injury suggests she could return sooner rather than later. Keep an eye on team news leading up to each gameweek to determine when she's fit to feature again.
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