Manchester City striker Vivianne Miedema will miss the start of the Women's Super League season because of a knee injury. The club has confirmed the issue is not an anterior cruciate ligament injury and is separate from the knee problems the 30-year-old Netherlands international has previously experienced, though it comes as a blow after she enjoyed a largely injury-free campaign last season.

Miedema scored 19 goals in 25 appearances across all competitions last term, including 10 league goals and five assists, as City won the Women's Super League title for the first time since 2016. She did undergo knee surgery at the end of that campaign. The new WSL season begins on Friday with London City Lionesses hosting Manchester United, while City open their title defence at home to promoted Birmingham City on Sunday.