After four long months away, the FA Women‘s Super League is finally making its much-anticipated return as we prepare to host Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium. With over 53,000 tickets already sold for this exciting tie, fans are urged not to miss out and secure their tickets now.
Since our Gunners secured a third-place finish in last season’s WSL, a lot has happened in women’s football. From summer signings to the exhilarating FIFA Women‘s World Cup, it has been an eventful time for the sport. Although there was early heartbreak with our exit in the UEFA Women‘s Champions League qualifying round, our focus has now shifted to the domestic competitions. With the addition of five new players during the summer transfer window, Eidevall’s squad is looking strong and ready for the new season.
We kick-started our summer signings with England starlet Alessia Russo, followed by dynamic winger Cloe Lacasse and recent Ballon d’Or nominee Amanda Ilestedt. Bringing in World Cup winner Laia Codina as our centre-back further strengthened our defense. And wrapping up our transfer window was 21-year-old midfield maestro Kyra Cooney-Cross, who impressed during the Australian World Cup. Alongside new faces, several key players like captain Kim Little, Lia Walti, Frida Maanum, and Katie McCabe have also recommitted their futures to the club.
This season also marks the return of key players from injury, including Beth Mead and Vivianne Miedema, who have both returned to full training following respective ACL ruptures. Our squad lifted the Conti Cup trophy back in March with a convincing win over Chelsea, providing Eidevall with his first piece of silverware. Hungry for more success, our head coach and players are determined to end Chelsea’s four-year reign as WSL champions.
Liverpool, two-time WSL champions, have had a challenging journey since the league’s inception 12 years ago, including relegation in the 2019/20 season. However, they finished in a respectable seventh place in their first season back in the Women’s Super League. Matt Beard, their coach, was in charge during their successful title-winning campaigns in 2013 and 2014.
Last season, we comfortably defeated Liverpool in both home and away fixtures. With the departure of last season’s top-scorer Katie Stengel, Liverpool has strengthened their frontline with 24-year-old Norwegian striker Sophie Roman Haug. Despite Norway ‘s struggles at the World Cup, Haug has an impressive international goal tally of eight in 11 appearances. Another player to keep an eye on is young midfielder Missy Bo Kearns, who earned the club’s Player of the Season award and captained England’s under-23 side.
During their pre-season, Liverpool faced challenges with results, only managing one win against Leicester City. Teams like Manchester City, Manchester United, PSG, Atletico Madrid, and Birmingham City came out on top in their meetings with Liverpool. Eidevall acknowledges that this WSL season is expected to be the most competitive yet, with many squads strengthening their rosters.
Despite a challenging start for Arsenal, playing away at the Emirates, Beard sees it as an opportunity for Liverpool to kick off their season positively. Arsenal had numerous players representing their national teams at the World Cup, giving them less time to recover. On the other hand, Liverpool had the benefit of a full pre-season and aims to take advantage of this.
In terms of player fitness, Lotte Wubben-Moy returned to full training following an injury that forced her withdrawal from the England camp. Noelle Maritz picked up a knock on international duty, but Eidevall has not ruled her out for the season opener. Beth Mead may also make a return, with Eidevall stating that she is very close to being ready. Leah Williamson took a significant step in her recovery, returning to the grass for the first time since sustaining a knee injury in April. Vivianne Miedema, Laura Wienroither, and Teyah Goldie, however, continue their ACL rehabilitation and remain out of action.
With tickets still available, fans have the opportunity to be part of the action at the Emirates Stadium. For those unable to attend, full match coverage will be provided on Arsenal.com and the app, featuring commentary from Max Jones and former Gunner Anita Asante. The Breakdown Live show with Emma Byrne and Shebahn Aherne will also provide in-depth analysis and special guest appearances.
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