MUN-W vs ARS-W Match Details
Date: Friday, 6 September 2023/ Saturday, 7 September 2023
Time: 07:30 (BST) / 00:00 (IST)
Venue: Leigh Sports Village, Manchester
MUN-W vs ARS-W Match Preview
Manchester United came from behind to win 2-1 against 10 players down Aston Villa in the 2023/24 WSL with veteran striker Rachel Williams heading in the winner. After a less eventful first half, the game burst into life in the last 15 minutes when Kirsty Hanson was sent off controversially for a high-boot challenge but it motivated Villa to go and take the lead through the league’s top-scorer with 22 goals last season, Rachel Daly. However, having a player less ultimately cost the home side as Lucia Garcia slammed in the equalizer from a corner three minutes later before the Red Devils got the winner in stoppage time. With this being their first game of the season, the tempo was not there but United still showed positive signs in their play and the mentality of not backing down. That will be required when they face Arsenal in an early fight between title contenders. Even though the Gunners have suffered an opening-day loss to Liverpool and enjoyed recent meetings against them, they will pose a major test despite Marc Skinner’s side playing the fixture at home. Scoring the winner for United in both the fixtures last season, Alessia Russo will don the opposition shirt since switching sides in the summer giving the hot take for this fixture. Last season’s runners-up in WSL are hoping to put an early statement to continue with their eight-game unbeaten run at home in the league before making their Women's Champions League debut against PSG in the final qualification round of group stages, the first leg also at Leigh Village.
While Arsenal made star-studded signings in the summer in the view of playing Champions League and going beyond their semifinal finish in the competition last season, they will not be in Europe unfortunately. The Gunners lost to Paris FC in the second round of qualifiers on penalties after it finished an incredible 3-3 at the end of 120 minutes. Adding to their disappointments, Arsenal lost to Liverpool by 1-0 in front of a record-breaking crowd with Miriael Taylor scoring the sole goal of the match. It was their first loss to the Reds in seven years gifting them their first away win since January 2020 and also losing the opener of a WSL season for the first time in 2013. That too came in the same fixture incidentally. Arsenal fears the prospect of not finding the right solution to make the signings work as a well-functioning team with these setbacks despite being early into the season. It is true the Gunners went on to win the WSL last time they were not in Europe but not winning the league with this squad will be a big let-down than finishing third last season. They will face the team that beat them to the final qualification round spot for the Champions League in Manchester United in only the second match of the new season. No team has ever won the WSL losing two or more games so back-to-back losses in a 22-game campaign will surely derail title chances which the North Londoners will not want making the trip to Manchester. With their manager Jonas Eidevall’s contract extension, Arsenal want to stop the winless run as soon as possible and seek a first away win in this fixture since November 2021.
A look at Arsenal WSL Fixtures 2023/24
MUN-W vs ARS-W Predicted Lineups
MUN-W: Mary Earps; Hannah Blundell, Millie Turner, Le Tissier, Gabby George; Katie Zelem, Hinata Miyazawa; Lucia Garcia, Ella Toone, Leah Galton; Geyse
ARS-W: Manuela Zinsberger; Noelle Maritz, Amanda Illestedt, Wubben-Moy, Steph Catley; Victoria Pelova, Kim Little, Lia Walti, Katie McCabe; Frida Maanum, Alessia Russo, Caitlin Foord
MUN-W vs ARS-W Dream11 Team Prediction
GK: Earps (8)
DEF: George (8.5), Le Tisser (8.5), McCabe (8)
MID: Maanum (7.5), Miyazawa (8.5), Toone (9), Foord (8)
FW: Geyse (8), Russo (9), Garcia (7.5)
Vice-captain: Alessia Russo
Captain: Ella Toone
Check out here WSL 2023-24 Full Fixture List
