Women’s Super League soccer is again at Emirates Stadium on Saturday, March 21 (12pm UK) as our run of London derbies continues in opposition to West Ham United.
Last outing, we continued the place we left off earlier than the worldwide break as we prolonged our successful run in all competitions to eight matches with a 2-0 win away to London City Lionesses.
We’ll be seeking to proceed our unbeaten report in opposition to London rivals this season as we return to Emirates Stadium for the primary time since a 1-0 win over Manchester City in February.
hammers pulling away from the drop
West Ham endured a tough begin to the season, dropping their opening seven league video games, one in every of which was a 5-1 defeat to us within the reverse fixture. But since bringing in supervisor Rita Guarino in December, issues have seemed up for the Hammers.
The east London facet got here into the brand new yr with simply 5 factors within the league, however have earned seven over their final 5 video games as issues start to click on underneath a brand new boss.
After a 2-1 win over relegation rivals Leicester City, the Hammers produced an impressive late comeback to beat Brighton 3-2 regardless of having been 2-0 down within the 81st minute. Somewhat fittingly, this was the end result to carry West Ham off the underside of the league desk.
Defeats to Everton within the league and Brighton within the FA Cup then threatened to dampen the temper in east London as Guarino noticed her facet lose back-to-back video games for the primary time in her tenure.
But with their fixture in opposition to Manchester United pushed again from final weekend to Wednesday night time due to the Subway Women’s League Cup last, the Hammers used the additional days of relaxation to their benefit, and secured a powerful 0-0 draw with the Red Devils on the Chigwell Construction Stadium.
West Ham now journey to north London three factors off the underside of the WSL desk, albeit with backside facet Leicester having performed a recreation much less.
what the managers say
Slegers: “We know what they will deliver with actually laborious work. With all of the play, with runs in behind, with dribbles. So we’ll must be actually disciplined after we defend. They received rewards for his or her laborious work in opposition to United.
“They kept spaces really small, they defended as a unit all together, so if they do that against us as well at the Emirates tomorrow then we’ll have to be prepared to break them down and they will not make it easy for us.”
Guarino: “Arsenal create loads of possibilities, so it is one other recreation we should be targeted on defensively. We understand how robust they’re and the way harmful they are often.
“We studied all the scenarios that they can play in. But in a way, nothing changes because in every shape, they are strong, so we need to be focused on what we need to do. I think about us.”
crew information
Frida Maanum has been sick over the previous week so is unlikely to function in Saturday’s London derby. Leah Williamson can be a doubt after battling a hamstring challenge since our 2-0 win over London City final weekend.
Aside from Frida and Leah, everybody else who was concerned on the Copperjax Community Stadium final week is offered as soon as once more to face the Hammers.
info and stats
Renée Slegers may turn into the primary supervisor in WSL historical past to keep away from defeat in every of her first 16 dwelling matches in cost; she is at present tied with Chelsea’s Sonia Bompastor with 15.
We have gained 12 of our final 14 WSL video games in opposition to West Ham United, together with all seven video games we have performed at dwelling, scoring not less than twice in every of these victories.
West Ham have misplaced every of their final six London derbies, final successful one in April 2025 once they thrashed Crystal Palace 7-1 away from dwelling.
Only Vivianne Miedema (71) and Jodie Taylor (84) have a greater minutes per objective or help price for us within the WSL than Chloe Kelly (95 minutes, seven objectives and 6 assists), who has two objectives and two assists throughout her final three league begins.
Since she joined the league in 2025, West Ham’s Shekiera Martinez has scored extra WSL objectives in London derbies than some other participant (eight), together with the German’s first away objective within the competitors which got here in opposition to us in March final yr.
Beth Mead has solely been instantly concerned in additional WSL objectives in opposition to Chelsea (14) than West Ham United (13 – 5 objectives, eight assists); her eight assists in opposition to the Hammers are the joint-most any participant has in opposition to a single opponent within the competitors.
match officers
Phoebe Cross will take cost of Saturday’s London derby in what shall be her tenth WSL recreation of the season.
Across 9 league video games up to now this marketing campaign, Cross has distributed 23 yellow playing cards and awarded three penalties, though all three spot kicks had been awarded in her first two video games of the marketing campaign.
This would be the second time Cross has taken cost of one in every of our league matches this season; our paths final crossed on the King Power Stadium when she oversaw our 4-1 win over Leicester City in November.
Referee: Phoebe Cross
Assistant referees: Jon Ashworth-Sears, Phoebe Horner
Fourth official: Stacey Pearson
how one can watch
We’ll be displaying the sport dwell on the Arsenal app and on Arsenal.com, so be sure that to tune in from 11.55am to observe our conflict with the Hammers!
Alternatively, a host of other broadcasters world wide are additionally displaying the sport dwell.
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