Manchester City have confirmed that forward Mary Fowler has suffered a rupture to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) of her right knee.
The 22-year-old sustained the injury during City’s FA Cup semi-final defeat by Manchester United on Sunday.
“Mary will remain under the care of the club’s medical team and start her rehabilitation,” a City statement read on Wednesday.
“Everyone at City wishes Mary all the best on a full and speedy recovery.”
Fowler has played in all but one of City’s 18 Women’s Super League games this season, scoring six goals.
The Australia international joined City from French side Montpellier in the summer of 2022 and has played 49 WSL matches. She has also been named Australian young women’s footballer of the year twice, in 2022 and 2024.
“I’m really disappointed to be facing some time out of the game,” Fowler said, via a release from the Australian national team. “It’s never easy when something like this happens especially when you’ve been working so hard and feeling good. The road ahead will be challenging, but I’m ready to take it on.”
“There’s still so much I want to achieve, and I’ll be using this time to grow in every way I can. I’m committed to doing the work, staying positive and coming back better than ever.
“I want to say a big thank you to everyone who’s sent messages or checked in — it’s honestly meant so much. The support from my teammates, family, friends and fans has been a real lift and reminded me how lucky I am to be surrounded by such a strong network.”
Fowler joins fellow City player Risa Shimizu in suffering an ACL injury this season, after the Japan international sustained hers in September.
City are also dealing with injuries to Vivianne Miedema, Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw, Alex Greenwood, Jill Roord, Laura Blindkilde-Brown, Aoba Fujino, Rebecca Knaak and Lauren Hemp, the former of whom will not play again in the remaining weeks of the season.
‘A devastating blow’
City cannot catch a break and Fowler is devastatingly another to add to their long injury list.
The Australian actually benefitted from City’s injuries this season as she had to step up to fill the void. Fowler has been more consistent this year and has registered seven assists, the most in the WSL, in addition to her six goals. She has rotated between being a false nine and a winger and has demonstrated her creativity while being an important figure in connecting City’s play.
ACL injuries usually keep players out of the game for at least nine months and that road to recovery is not always straightforward. But knowing Fowler, she will approach it from a positive angle and use it as fuel to inform her future.
(Gareth Copley/Getty Images)