Arsenal v Chelsea has become the very symbol of big-match Women’s Super League football over the past six years, and the top flight returns this weekend with the latest episode of the headline fixture at the Emirates Stadium.
While Jonas Eidevall and Emma Hayes meet once more, there is also Manchester United v Liverpool – a huge fixture in any designation of the sport – and a bottom-of-the-table tussle between Leicester City and Brighton & Hove Albion. This is no ordinary weekend, especially given Aston Villa’s headline-grabbing moves for Jordan Nobbs and Lucy Staniforth during the break.
Here’s the full rundown of what’s to come from the WSL…
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ASTON VILLA v TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR - SATURDAY 12:30 (Bescot Stadium, Walsall) - Live on the FA Player
Tottenham stole the headlines last week with the British record transfer of Bethany England from Chelsea for £250,000, but Villa upped the stakes with two big moves of their own. The 21-cap England striker is a timely addition for Rehanne Skinner’s side as they look to make an impression on the top half of the table in the second half of the season.
Yet it is Villa who come into this clash as the biggest movers in the market having ended Jordan Nobbs’ 12-year association with Arsenal and added another England midfielder in Manchester United’s Lucy Staniforth. It’s a big statement of intent from a club who have not beaten any team currently above the bottom four positions since their 4-3 opening-day success against Manchester City. All eyes are now on Carla Ward to get the best from her newly-bolstered squad.
ARSENAL v CHELSEA – SUNDAY 12:00 (Emirates Stadium, London) - Live on Sky Sports Football
Emma Hayes’ champions have been impeccable since their opening loss to Liverpool and they head to the Emirates on Sunday knowing that a victory against their nearest competitors would go a long way to setting a base for a third successive title.
They have lost Bethany England to Spurs during the break but she was only a peripheral figure in the first half of the season, with the likes of Sam Kerr, Lauren James and Fran Kirby hogging much of the game time.
Arsenal have been playing catch-up since their late collapse against Manchester United in November saw them lose 3-2 from a winning position. With both Beth Mead and Vivianne Miedema out for the rest of the season with knee ligament injuries, attention now turns to the likes of Stina Blackstenius and Caitlin Foord to lead Arsenal through the remainder of the campaign.
EVERTON v READING – SUNDAY 13:00 (Walton Hall Park, Liverpool) - Live on the FA Player
Everton were big winners last time out in their rearranged trip to Tottenham, and they will be huge favourites to take three points off Reading on Sunday.
Kelly Chambers’ Royals almost staged a shock comeback from 3-0 down at Chelsea in their previous fixture but fell a goal short of taking something from the game. With Leicester City well adrift at the bottom, it appears that progress in performances is the main goal for the second half of the season at the Madejski.
MANCHESTER UNITED v LIVERPOOL – SUNDAY 14:05 (Leigh Sports Village, Leigh) - Live on BBC One
The biggest disappointment about the clash between probably the two biggest names in English football is that the game takes place at the smaller Leigh Sports Village rather than Old Trafford, with United’s last three matches having drawn a combined 114,000.
Marc Skinner’s side were excellent in spells last time out against Manchester City, and they will hope to keep up the pressure on Chelsea and Arsenal with another three points on Sunday. A win for United and a draw at the Emirates would pull United right back into the shake-up.
Matt Beard’s biggest task at Liverpool in the second half of the campaign will be to get more goals out of his side beyond the free-scoring Katie Stengel. The American forward has six goals to her name this term but nobody else has netted more than once in the league. Gemma Bonner could make her return for this one after re-signing for the Reds from Racing Louisville over the mid-season break.
We are delighted to announce the return of @gembon23, subject to international clearance and formal approvals!
LEICESTER CITY v BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION – SUNDAY 15:00 (King Power Stadium, Leicester) - Live on the FA Player
Leicester look doomed, frankly, having scored just two goals – one a Drew Spence own-goal against Tottenham – and conceded 25 in nine straight league defeats so far. A visit of second-bottom Brighton provides them with the best chance for points they are likely to get all season.
The Seagulls are under the leadership of Jens Scheuer for the first time after the former Bayern Munich boss was appointed to replace Hope Powell. The biggest task for the German will be to stop his side conceding so many goals, their 29 allowed in eight games being easily the worst record in the top flight. New signings Guro Bergsvand and Zoe Morse could come in to strengthen their creaky back line.
WEST HAM UNITED v MANCHESTER CITY – SUNDAY 18:45 (Victoria Road, Dagenham) - Live on Sky Sports Football
Paul Konchesky’s West Ham have five wins and five losses to their name so far this term but have yet to beat any side in the top four, and City head to Dagenham on Sunday looking to put some distance between themselves and the team directly below them in the WSL table.
Fourth-placed City came back to draw the Manchester derby last time out, but if they start this game as unconvincingly as they did that one then they could come unstuck against the Hammers. City haven’t beaten a top-five side themselves this term, and in truth they are still looking for new direction after the loss of the likes of Lucy Bronze, Keira Walsh, Ellen White, Georgia Stanway and Caroline Weir in the summer.
