Everton Women vs Arsenal: WSL match preview

Arsenal Women travel to Merseyside to face 10th placed Everton on Sunday. With four games remaining in the WSL, nothing but a win will do—especially if Arsenal, a point behind Chelsea in the league title race, want to keep the pressure on Chelsea. Chelsea play Tottenham before Arsenal face Everton.

Everton have severely underperformed expectations, finding themselves in 10th place, having sacked two managers. Everton had a big summer in terms of recruitment, but never got going under Willie Kirk, before he was sacked, and replaced by Jean-Luc Vasseur, who won one league game, and was sacked after 95 days in charge.

Interim managers Chris Roberts and Claire Ditchburn have Everton playing with a back three, utilizing the dangerous Claire Emslie as a wingback. Everton have not gotten enough out of their summer signings, with the prodigious Hanna Bennison, who was managed by Jonas Eidevall at Rosengord, unable to really produce a run of form, while Anna Anvegard, who scored 16 goals in the Damalllsvenskan in 2020, has scored four goals in the WSL this season. Everton certainly have talented players that can hurt Arsenal, but with the Toffees at the end of a disappointing season, Arsenal should take all three points.

Team news:

Rafaelle Souza suffered a set back, and so won’t be available. Otherwise, Arsenal should have a full compliment of players available.

Key player:

By her own admission, Katie McCabe’s form has been up and down this season. Having started strongly, McCabe has only scored once in the league in 2022, and hasn’t had an assist since November. McCabe, though, usually contributes against Everton: she had a goal and assist against Everton in the reverse fixture in October, and in last season’s meeting at Walton Hall Park, McCabe scored the first Arsenal goal and won the penalty for the second Arsenal goal.

Predicted lineup (4-2-3-1): 1. Zinsberger; 16. Maritz, 6. Williamson, 3. Wubben-Moy, 7. Catley; 13. Wälti, 10. Little; 9. Mead, 11. Miedema, 15. McCabe; 25. Blackstenius
Substitutes: 18. Williams, 5. Beattie, 8. Nobbs, 12. Maanum, 14. Parris, 19. Foord, 23. Iwabuchi, 26. Wienroither, 77. Heath

WHAT: Everton Women vs Arsenal Women, FA WSL

WHERE: Walton Hall Park, Liverpool

WHEN: Sunday, April 24th 10:45 AM PDT | 1:45 PM EDT | 6:45 PM BST

WATCH: NBC Sports Live Extra (US, streaming), ATA Football (US, streaming), SkySports (UK)