THE LOWDOWN
Arsenal travel to Manchester City on Sunday looking to lick their wounds after last weekend’s narrow defeat at Stamford Bridge. A comfortable 5-0 win over Bristol City in the FA Cup served as a palette cleanser from defeat at Chelsea but that result in West London brings Arsenal’s WSL reality into sharp focus.
They are a point behind Manchester City and three behind Manchester United. They are in a race for UWCL qualification spots with City and United and three into two doesn’t go. A defeat here would put them four points behind City and give them work to do. The good news for Renee Slegers is that, after this game, Arsenal are done with City and Chelsea in a WSL sense this season.
They play at home to United on the final day, so they have a three month run of winnable fixtures. Win this game and they are in a very good position to finish in the UWCL qualifying spots. A draw and that remains the case, defeat and they are in the chasing pack. The fixture has some extra spice as the teams top brasses became even more familiar with one another on deadline day.
Laura Wienroither joined Manchester City on loan on deadline day while Chloe Kelly went in the other direction (although the moves weren’t linked in a documentary sense). Neither player is eligible for this game though both teams strengthened one another in the long run in a deadline day marriage of convenience. But now the gloves are off and hostilities renew.
TEAM NEWS
Chloe Kelly is not eligible for the game as part of the terms of her loan move, however, new signing Jenna Nighswonger will go straight into the squad for the game. She finished her NWSL season in November so is still in pre-season mode so it remains to be seen whether she starts in the absence of Katie McCabe, who serves the second of a two-match suspension.
Kim Little has had surgery on a broken hand and will be out for a few weeks. Lina Hurtig is not available while Caitlin Foord faces a fitness test on a muscle injury. Amanda Ilestedt has returned from maternity leave while Victoria Pelova is still not quite ready to return from her ACL injury.
Available squad
Goalkeepers: 1.Zinsberger 14.van Domselaar
Defenders: 2.Fox 3.Wubben-Moy 5.L.Codina 6.Williamson 7.Catley 22.Nighswonger 28.Ilestedt 62.Reid
Midfielders: 12.L.Maanum 13.Walti 16.Kafaji 32.Cooney-Cross
Forwards: 8.Mariona 9.Mead 23.Russo 25.Blackstenius
A WORD FROM THE BOSS
We looked at our last game against City at the Emirates they have changed quite a lot of things with new players and different kind of pressing system, so we have to look back at that game at the Emirates to help us prepare and the things they did well in that game they are probably going to try to bring again. The things that were hard for them they might tweak.
It’s a learning process looking at the last time we played each other but also looking at the last couple of games. That is what we do, we look at what happened the last time we played against them but we also look at the last couple of games. It looks like a digital dossier in the way we prepare.
I respect the players have high integrity, I have a sit down with Chloe (Kelly) this afternoon (Friday) and it will mostly be about us and her and how that is going to work and how our processes work, but maybe we have some conversations about City.
LAST TIME OUT
When the teams met on the opening day in September at Emirates Stadium, the teams drew 2-2. Frida Maanum gave Arsenal an early lead before goals from Vivianne Miedema and Jess Park gave City the lead. Beth Mead came off the bench to score the equaliser. In this fixture last season, City took a first half lead through Lauren Hemp but two late goals from Stina Blackstenius gave Arsenal a dramatic victory.
THE OPPOSITION
City augmented their squad in January by essentially pre-empting the departure of Chloe Kelly by signing Brazilian attacker Kerolin from North Carolina Courage. They brought in Laura Wienroither too, of course. City are without a WSL title since 2016 and that isn’t a run that is going to end this year. They haven’t won a trophy since 2022.
In attack, City are formidable with talent like Miedema, Bunny Shaw and Jill Roord. Lauren Hemp is currently injured but City remain formidable in front of goal. It is going in the other direction where they currently have issues, most of which are beget by injuries, not least to Alex Greenwood their defensive leader.
Chelsea and Arsenal have conceded six goals this season. Manchester United have conceded five. City have conceded 14. They are vulnerable at the back but they have 27 goals to Arsenal’s 25 this season and that is taking into account that Lauren Hemp has been injured for much of the season and Bunny Shaw has also been absent recently.
PLAYER TO WATCH
With Katie McCabe suspended and Jenna Nighswonger out of season, Steph Catley will likely be needed at left-back again and that means that Lotte Wubben-Moy is likely to play in central defence. This is far from the end of the world, Wubben-Moy was rightly voted Arsenal’s player of the season last year.
Wubben-Moy has relished battles with Bunny Shaw in the past and given the frequency with which City cross the ball into the area for Bunny, having a more natural aerial centre-half is very far from the worst case scenario for Arsenal. Wubben-Moy will be up for the task and arguably better suited for the avalanche of crosses City are likely to put into the Gunners area.
Lotte captained the team on Wednesday evening but getting 90 minutes in the game against Bristol City will tune her nicely, she has had to be patient for her chance this season with Slegers preferring Steph Catley at left centre-half. This is an opportunity for Wubben-Moy to stake her claim again and it is a task she has shown flair for in the past.
PREDICTED LINE UP
Subs: 1.Zinsberger 5.L.Codina 16.Kafaji 22.Nighswonger 25.Blackstenius 28.Ilestedt 43.Peacock 62.Reid
HOW TO WATCH
The game kicks off at 12noon Sunday at the Academy Stadium and will be screened live on Sky Sports Football in the UK.
COMING UP
We will have every word from Renee Slegers’ post-match press conference on Arseblog News shortly after the final whistle, as well as Aidan Gibson’s on the whistle match report. Jamie and I will have an Arsecast Extra for you on Monday.
Looking forward to this game, but I’m really not a fan of how often both of our teams,
face the same club on the same weekend/ day.
This year seems particularly heavy
Good luck AWFC.
On Chloe Kelly and what Gareth Taylor said in response I just think that there is no smoke without fire and having seen her first interview on the website she looks very happy. Good luck to her and welcome Chloe Kelly.
Very exciting match in prospect tomorrow. I am expecting a high-scoring game – 3-2 win, something like that.
I have a feeling Jenna Nighswonger might feature from the start in some capacity.
Good luck, ladies!