Renée Slegers gave a fitness update on her squad ahead of their trip to face Brighton in the WSL this Sunday. 

Beth Mead was pictured in a protective boot after the Gunners’ victory over Manchester City last weekend, and she did not travel to Leuven midweek. 

Slegers gave a prognosis for the winger. 

She said: “Beth will be out for the block. She has a hairline fracture in her shin.” 

The current block ends after Arsenal’s FA Cup fixture against Bristol City on 22 February when there’s an international break, so Mead is expected to be out until at least then. 

Anneke Borbe is still working back to fitness after going down in extra time of the FIFA Champions Cup Final recently. 

Slegers said: “Anneke is still under assessment, so we have one more training to go. 

“She’s progressing well, so we’ll see if she makes it, see how she responds today and how she goes tomorrow.” 

In the meantime, Daphne van Domselaar is readily available for Arsenal, having played two full matches in the last week.

Striker Stina Blackstenius, who also didn’t travel to Belgium this week, also remains sidelined.