Manchester United defender Millie Turner may be available for fixtures against Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea in the coming weeks.
This is despite the England international sustaining a knee injury which upon first inspection, looked to have potentially been an MCL or ACL issue.
Head coach Marc Skinner has confirmed Turner's problem is not as bad as first feared.
Manchester United defender in ACL scare
Speaking ahead of Man United's UEFA Women's Champions League qualifier with Norwegian side Brann, Skinner said: "We are just looking at the knee cap. She has another meeting at the end of this week when it settles down then we’ll know more so I can update you properly next week."
Turner has played 172 times for Man United since joining from Bristol City in 2018, making her England bow last year.
The Red Devils are currently top of the Women's Super League after two wins from their opening two games of the season, versus Leicester City and London City Lionesses.
Turner was stretchered off in Man United's last match and pictured on crutches sporting a knee brace after the game, sparking fears it could be a lengthy spell on the sidelines for the 29-year-old.
Instead, it appears Turner has dislocated her kneecap, for which the recovery time is anywhere from a few weeks to several months, depending on the severity of the issue.
Man United have some big games coming up, including WSL clashes with Arsenal and Chelsea in the coming weeks.
Turner's involvement will therefore hinge on the evolution of her recovery.
Supporters can take solace from the fact she is unlikely to be sidelined for the rest of the season, which would have been the case had an ACL rupture been sustained.
