Arsenal Women v Manchester City Women: Preview And Prediction

Manchester City Women travel to Arsenal, knowing a win will keep them within touching distance of United and Chelsea at the top of the table. However they face an Arsenal side that are yet to lose at home this season, and the only time they have dropped points came in November, when the drew 1-1 with Chelsea.

Form

The Gunners were scoring for fun at the beginning of the season, and it started to look like a straight fight between them and Chelsea to see who could score the most…and win the title of course! However, the goals stopped flowing for Arsenal and they have only scored 10 in six league games, which is a far cry from the 29 in 5 matches at the start of the season.

It would help their cause if they’d played some games – the last time Arsenal took to the field was January 17^th when they drew 1-1 at Reading. Since then, their home match with West Ham and away fixture at Aston Villa were postponed, which has meant the blues have overtaken the Gunners in the league table.

But where Arsenal’s goals, and games have dried up, City have been knocking them in with some aplomb. The blues have hit 18 goals in 3 games, two of which they hit 7 and City have stormed up the table to force themselves into the title race.

Team News

Gareth Taylor received a boost to his matchday squad when Janine Beckie, Esme Morgan and Jess Park returned to the squad after missing last week’s 4-0 win over West Ham, but Sam Mewis and Demi Stokes ae again likely to be missing through injury. New signing Abby Dahlkemper is expected to start at Arsenal, having made her debut in last weekend’s win.

Steph Catley and Viki Schnaderbeck will be missing from an otherwise full-strength Arsenal side.

Last Time

City beat the Gunners 2-1 in December, thanks to a last minute goal from Caroline Weir, and the blues will be hoping for more of the same today.

Prediction

Both sides are strong, but City have more match practice than their counterparts and that may count, particularly in the latter stages.

Arsenal Women 1-2 Manchester City Women