Arsenal Women face Aston Villa at Emirates with momentum on their side
Web StoryWatch this story in 15 seconds →Key takeaways
- Arsenal host Villa at the Emirates at noon on Sunday, live on Sky Sports+, chasing a third straight win this week.
- Renee Slegers says going back to basics and trusting players like Alessia Russo has loosened up the squad.
- Villa are unbeaten in five under interim boss Brian Sorensen, so this is no easy home game for Arsenal.
Arsenal Women play Aston Villa at home on Sunday, November 1. Kick-off is at noon UK time (5pm in Pakistan). The game is at Emirates Stadium in north London.
It is a Women's Super League (WSL) match, the top women's football league in England.
A week that changed everything
Two weeks ago, things looked bad for Arsenal head coach Renee Slegers. Her team had not won a league game in five matches. A draw with newly promoted Birmingham made it five games without a win.
They were 10 points behind the league leaders after six games, according to Sky Sports.
Then came the north London derby. Arsenal played away at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. It was a hard, gritty game, but they won.
It was their first league win in six matches.
Three days later, on Wednesday, they played even better. Arsenal beat Benfica 3-0 in the Women's Champions League. Slegers called it "probably the most complete performance we've had this season," according to Sky Sports.
Alessia Russo scored all three goals against Benfica. It was a hat-trick, three goals by one player in a single game. Those goals took Russo to 23 goals in the Women's Champions League.
That makes her the highest-scoring English player in the history of the competition, ahead of former Chelsea star Fran Kirby.
Russo has scored eight goals in her last six games for club and country. That is a big turnaround. She failed to score in any of Arsenal's first four league games this season.
Slegers said she never doubted Russo would find her form again.
What Slegers says about the turnaround
Slegers spoke to Sky Sports before the Villa game. She said the key was going "back to basics." She wanted the team to stop overthinking.
"When things aren't going right everyone wants to see what it is and find a solution," she told Sky Sports. She said there is always a risk of going too far and overanalysing.
The team also decided to take more risks in attack. Russo herself raised this in a team meeting. Slegers said the players want to be brave near the opponent's goal.
Against Benfica, that courage showed.
In her matchday programme notes, Slegers praised the "freedom of expression" the team showed on Wednesday. She said the squad "did great work across the pitch" against Benfica. She wants the same energy against Villa.
Slegers also remembers the pain of facing Villa. Early last season, Arsenal drew 1-1 with Villa at the Emirates. Arsenal dominated the game but wasted their chances.
That draw hurt them. They finished four points short in the title race, Sky Sports reported.
Villa are not the same old Villa
Aston Villa started the season badly. They took just two points from their first four league games. The club sacked head coach Natalia Arroyo in September.
Then came Brian Sorensen as interim manager. Sorensen used to coach Everton, so he knows English football well. Since he arrived, Villa have turned things around.
Villa are now unbeaten in five games, according to Slegers' programme notes. They drew with Crystal Palace first. Then they won back-to-back league games against Liverpool and Everton.
The 3-2 win at Everton was strong. Amalie Vangsgaard scored twice in that game.
On Wednesday, Villa also beat rivals Birmingham on penalties in the League Cup. So they travel to London with real belief.
Villa will be without some players. Captain Rachel Daly is missing, along with Lucy Parker, Jill Baijings, Ellie Roebuck, and Kamilla Melgard, per match previews. Anna Patten will wear the captain's armband instead.
The confirmed line-ups
Arsenal captain Leah Williamson is back in the starting line-up. She leads the team at Emirates Stadium, according to Dave.Sport.
Arsenal start with Misa in goal. The defence is Ona Batlle, Williamson, Steph Catley, and Taylor Hinds. The midfield is Kyra Cooney-Cross, Georgia Stanway, and Geraldine Reuteler.
Up front are Caitlin Foord, Alessia Russo, and Olivia Smith.
Frida Maanum is among the substitutes. Her availability had been uncertain before the game. Kim Little and Stina Blackstenius are also on the bench.
Villa start with Okuma in goal. Patten captains the side. The defence also includes Harviken, Wilms, and Noelle Maritz.
The midfield and attack feature Kielland, Oriane Jean-Francois, Lucia Kendall, Grant, Vangsgaard, and Deslandes.
What happens next
A win would be huge for Arsenal. It would be their third win in a week. It would keep their league title hopes alive.
But Villa are a danger. They have improved fast under Sorensen. Arsenal know they cannot take this game lightly.
The 1-1 draw from last season is a warning.
Arsenal are favourites at home. They have usually beaten Villa in recent years. But Slegers keeps it simple.
"There are no easy games in football," she wrote in her programme notes. "We'll be ready to raise our levels once again."
The game kicks off at noon UK time. Fans in the UK can watch on Sky Sports+, with coverage from 11:30am. In the USA, it is on CBS Sports Network and Paramount+.
Why this game matters for the title race
The Women's Super League season is still young. But Arsenal cannot afford more dropped points at home. They already lost ground in the first six games.
Slegers is aiming for third place as a first step. Previews say London City Lionesses currently hold that spot. Arsenal play them at the Emirates in two weeks.
A win today would build real momentum for that big game.
Villa also have nine points on the board. A win in north London would push them further up the table. Sorensen's team has nothing to fear.
Expect a tight, hard game. Arsenal have the better players on paper. Villa have the better recent momentum.
That mix makes Sunday's match one of the most interesting games of the WSL weekend.
Elsewhere in sport this weekend, Perth Glory host Adelaide United in the A-League. Lewis Hamilton took his first Ferrari pole in Mexico qualifying. And rugby league's November 1 transfer window brought its own drama.
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