England captain Leah Williamson's long-awaited injury return can help save Arsenal's season

Leah Williamson’s long-awaited return to action might not have come under the brightest lights or in the biggest game, but it hardly passed quietly. As Arsenal romped to a 6-0 win over Reading in the Continental Cup group stages at the end of January, the defender grabbed the headlines, coming off the bench to provide a lovely assist for Beth Mead and end nine months on the sidelines caused by a devastating ACL injury.

Jen Beattie, whose place she took as a substitute, bowed as the 26-year-old entered the fray. Katie McCabe ran over to ensure Williamson was sporting the captain’s armband as she made those first steps back on a football pitch. Her every touch was cheered by the crowd as she eased her way back into things with an impressive 30-minute cameo.

Every little celebratory detail, from her team-mates and adoring fans, perfectly captured how much her return means to Arsenal. On a human level, it was an emotional occasion. Williamson has worked incredibly hard for the best part of a year to get back out there and has had to overcome the disappointment of missing a World Cup at which her country reached the final.

And on the sporting side? Vivianne Miedema, Arsenal’s star forward, said it all last month. “We all know what Leah can bring to the team,” she told reporters. “She is one of the best, if not the best, centre-back on the ball in the world and that will improve us going forward massively.”

Now her much-anticipated moment of return is "out of the way", in the defender’s own words, the impact that Williamson could have on this Arsenal team in the next few months is extremely significant. In fact, it could go a long way to helping the Gunners save their season.