Arsenal vs Chelsea: Match Preview
On Sunday, the 20th of January, the second reverse fixture of the most exciting league match in Europe will take place. The famous London derby, red vs blue, north vs west, Arsenal vs Chelsea. The clash will take place at 2pm UK time at Meadow Park, home of Arsenal Women. With tickets selling out, the bar is set high in terms of hype around this match, both fan bases are very passionate as they both have the highest followings in the FA WSL.
The top two goal scorers of the league are from both sides. Vivianne Miedema leads the line with 14 goals, 8 assists for the reds, and England is not far behind, with 9 goals and 3 assists for the blues. The previous fixture saw Chelsea to come back from behind and steal all three points, winning 2-1 with goals from Thorisdottir and England.
Of their last five clashes, Arsenal have only won once. Is another win overdue? Both teams are title contenders and have both qualified for the semifinals of the Conti Cup.
With Chelsea having an impressive 16-match unbeaten run, the blues currently rank third in the league, with a game in hand. Winning both matches will get them into first place with two points clear. Meanwhile, Arsenal have only lost one match (against Chelsea) and have won all their other fixtures. A win on Sunday will see them four points clear (given that Chelsea win their game in hand).
Chelsea have recently signed Scottish International Jamie Lee Napier and Australian striker Sam Kerr, who is itching to find the back of the net for the first time in Europe. Chelsea have been busy during the transfer window, unlike Arsenal, who have steered clear of any signings despite losing a couple of players. Including injuries, they are now down to 15 fit players. Rumours circulated that Caitlin Foord might be signing for the reds, but nothing has been confirmed.
Along with the top goal scorers, the two clubs have lethal wingers and midfielders. Ones to watch out for in Arsenal are Kim Little, who has registered five goals and two assists and Danielle Van De Donk, with four goals and four assists. As for the blues, Ji So-Yun equals Little’s contributions, meanwhile, Guro Reiten has three goals and five assists.
Chelsea’s injury list includes Fran Kirby, who is recovering from a nasty virus, and Maria Thorisdottir, who suffered a fractured leg in training. For the reds, Danielle Carter is rehabilitating after a long-term injury. Katrine Veje has been ruled out for the clash, and Jennifer Beattie is doubtful. Emma Hayes, Chelsea’s head coach, has touched on there being a virus going around in the squad. Hence, Maren Mjelde and Magdalena Eriksson’s absences vs Bristol City.
The main concern around Chelsea is their backline, they are known to always concede sloppy goals. As for Arsenal, their team has been compact in all thirds. Their last match against Reading in the Conti Cup showed signs of worry as they managed to score only one goal in the last ten minutes, nonetheless, they came out with a win.
You can watch the clash on the FA Player app for free! And you won’t want to miss this one!
Writer: Toby @ oosa.wnt on Instagram / @ oosawnt on Twitter
Editor: Hana @ gaystackss on Twitter