Manchester United’s Gabby George opens up on England call-up joy following the ‘difficult moment’ of her knee injury

HAVING space to rant at Manchester United during the toughest days of her knee injury, helped spur Gabby George’s fight back to fitness. 

Now the defender, 27, is relishing her return to England duty 14 months after rupturing her anterior cruciate ligament. 

Gabby George has joined up with her England team-mates this week for the first time since November 2022

The defender’s Lionesses call-up follows her making a return to WSL match action in October following an ACL injury

George, who has two senior England caps, hopes to impress Sarina Wiegman whose team are due to play the USA and Switzerland

It was in October last year, a month after sealing a permanent move to United from Everton that George’s season was cut short.

Four games into the 2023-24 campaign, the full-back tore her ACL during the club’s 1-1 draw with Leicester in the top-flight. 

The twice-capped Manchester-born player did not return to WSL action until this September when her side beat West Ham 3-0 at Old Trafford. 

And the full-back intends to enjoy her football after coming through this “difficult moment”. 

Speaking at England’s base, yesterday she said: “I’d just signed for Manchester United.

“I had so many dreams and ambitions that I wanted to achieve, and it was all taken away from me within four games. 

“The hardest part of an injury is understanding why and you never know why, that’s the toughest part. 

“It was a difficult moment and I’m happy to have come through it with the help of Manchester United. 

“On the days that were tough I was able to go into the changing room and if I needed to cry, I could cry, and if I needed to rant, I could rant to them. 

“They always listened and never made me feel like I was a burden and that was the key thing. 

“We have a great squad and staff and I was able to speak to all of the staff.

“But it’s behind me now and I’m just happy and I’m in a position where I can play again.”

George, whose knee injuries kept her out of two FA Cup finals with Everton and United, could be set to feature for England this Saturday. 

Although her club are fifth in the league, her call-up follows her contribution to United keeping five clean sheets in eight games.

The Lionesses take on Emma Hayes’s Olympic gold medal-winning USA stars at Wembley at 5:45pm this Saturday. 

George’s last call-up for England was before their November 2022 camp

The full-back was named on the bench ahead of a 4-0 friendly defeat of Japan and a 1-1 draw with Norway. 

George, whose cousin is ex-Man United winger Jesse Lingard, adds: “I’ve come back this season and I’ve wanted to enjoy my football. Wherever that takes me, it takes me. 

“Luckily I was able to get an England call-up but I want to continue enjoying my football because that’s when I play my best.”

Of her call-up conversation with Lioness boss Sarina Wiegman, George said: “I was stuttering on the phone and I’m never lost for words! I was buzzing for it. 

“When you’ve been through so much and you get those little wins, it’s a big thing for you. I’m all about celebrating those wins.”

England’s duels with the USA and with Switzerland next Tuesday, will serve as prep for their two upcoming Nations League games.

Aside from Portugal, the Lionesses will play World Cup champions Spain next February.

It will be the first game between the sides since England’s 1-0 loss to their rivals in last August’s Women’s World Cup final in Australia.

And George hopes to make her mark before Wiegman’s squad selection for both fixtures.

The USA will take on England for the first time since Emma Hayes took charge of the team this summer

She said: “Sarina knows what she’s doing.

“I feel like, us training and being in this environment, we have a chance to showcase ourselves and if we get minutes, we get minutes. 

“If we don’t, we’re just going to have to keep pushing and working hard.”