Arsenal Women v Manchester City Women: Match preview, how to watch

Arsenal Women face last season’s runners-up Manchester City Women in another huge game on Sunday. Manchester City enter the match with a perfect record thus far in the new campaign, three points ahead of Arsenal, who are in third. Arsenal lost their last WSL outing two weeks ago, against fellow title competition Chelsea, and defeat tomorrow could be a telling blow. Arsenal beat City on the final day last season, with Emma Mitchell’s super strike handing City their only loss last season.

While Manchester City are perfect in the league, they lost to Manchester United in the Continental Cup last weekend (Arsenal beat Charlton 4-0), and drew with 1-1 at home with Atletico Madrid in the Champions League. City also have selection concerns: Aofie Mannion is out for the season with an ACL injury, Keira Walsh is suspended following a red card in the Continental Cup, and Ellen White, who City signed in the summer to replace their top scorer Nikita Parris, who left for Lyon, has not yet played this season, though should be involved tomorrow. City go to Madrid on Wednesday, while Arsenal, with a comfortable first-leg lead, host Slavia Praha on Thursday, but City’s manager Nick Cushing insists that Wednesday will have no bearing in his team selection.

Arsenal will have a late fitness check on Vivianne Miedema, who went off last weekend with a small calf problem. Leonie Maier and Victoria Schnaderbeck will also have fitness checks, with Lisa Evans likely to continue at right back. With a week off between matches, Arsenal will likely be able to call on their first choice midfield, including Lia Wälti in defensive midfield, and Kim Little and Jordan Nobbs ahead of Wälti. Danielle van de Donk will likely play in a wide position, looking to drop in between the lines.

Arsenal struggled against Chelsea because they couldn’t play beyond their pressure. With Wälti further fit, and Nobbs likely to be involved from the beginning, Arsenal’s play should be better; so too should Arsenal’s passing, with the play against Chelsea uncharacteristically poor.

Arsenal Women v Manchester City Women
FA WSL, Sunday October 27, 2019
2:30 PM GMT/10:30 AM EDT/7:30 AM PDT
TV: BT Sport (UK), NENT (Scandinavia), Sky Mexico (Central America, DR)
Stream: FAPlayer.TV (Audio only in UK)