Arsenal Women will host Chelsea Women at the Emirates this Sunday at 12pm , for a top of the table London derby clash. This will be each team’s first competitive match after the winter break. Arsenal have also reported almost 45,000 tickets have been sold for this game , including Chelsea selling out their away allocation.

Arsenal currently are second in the league with 3 points and a game in hand against Chelsea, which will be played against Manchester City in February. Arsenal’s last game before the winter break was away in the Champions league with a 9-1 win against Zürich  (Goals from Frida Leonhardsen Maanum x3, Stina Blackstenius x2, Caitlin Foord x2 Mana Iwabuchi, and Kim Little. Zürich’s goal being scored by Fabienne Humm). The result ensured that Arsenal finished top of Group C. The last league game Arsenal played was on the 11th December away to Aston Villa winning 4-1, Vivianne Miedema, Katie McCabe, and Jordan Nobbs scoring for Arsenal. 

Chelsea, sitting first in the league, also have scored the most goals with 31 goals. Which may prove to be important at the end of the season. Their last game before the winter break was also in the Champions league. A 3-0 win at home to PSG, goals scored by Sam Kerr and Lauren James x2. Which also meant Chelsea topped group A. Chelsea’s last league game was a 3-2 win against Reading, goals by Fran Kirby and Jelena Čanković x2. Sanne Troelsgaard Nielsen and Amalie Eikeland.

Team News

Arsenal Women will be without Vivianne Miedema, Beth Mead, and Teyah Goldie (ACLs). However new January Signings Victoria Pelova, Kathrine Møller Kühl, Sabrina D’Angelo, will most likely be in the matchday squad on the bench.  Arsenal have also recalled Gio from her loan at Everton. Jordan Nobbs has also moved to Aston Villa. So won’t be available. And Kim Little will be due to start her first league game since November. 

Chelsea Women will be without Pernille Harder (Hamstring). Bethany England has also moved to Tottenham. 

Arsenal Women vs Chelsea Women Previous Matches

Sunday’s game will be the 49th match up between the two teams after Chelsea were promoted into the Premier League National Division for the 2005/06 season. Arsenal ended up winning that game 2-0, the goals scored by Ciara Grant and Jayne Ludlow. In the early games between these two, Arsenal would easily come out on top. The more recent games are either a lot closer or swing a lot more in Chelsea’s favour.

The London derby this weekend will be the first meeting between the two teams this season.Last season Arsenal and Chelsea faced each other four times. Twice in the league, in the delayed 2021 FA cup final and the 2022 FA Cup semi final. The head to head for those four games saw Chelsea beat Arsenal 3-0 and 2-0 in the FA cup games. However in the league  Arsenal were unbeaten against Chelsea and managed their first win against Chelsea since the 5-0 win at Kingsmeadow in October 2018. The Barclay’s women’s super league first fixture was between these two in April 2011. Arsenal won that game 1-0, the winner scored by Gilly Flaherty who announced her retirement from football this week.  

Arsenal vs Chelsea Head to Head (All Competitions since 2005)

Arsenal Women will be without the Barclays women’s super leagues record goal scorer, VIvianne Miedema for at least a few months, due to a torn ACL. However that miss could be filled by Midfielder Frida Leonhardsen Maanum who has been in incredible form this season while occupying the number 10 position. She is currently Arsenal’s top scorer in all competitions with 8 goals in 15 appearances also providing 3 assists in those games. In the She plays Fantasy league this season Maanum has collected 93 points so far, and is most likely to be Arsenal’s attacking midfield option for the rest of the season. One of Arsenal;’s best defensive players this season has been Laura Wienroither, who joined last January has become a regular starter in the right back position. She has won the most tackles and interceptions for Arsenal in all competitions this season. 

For Chelsea Women, Sam Kerr is their current top scorer in all competitions with 10 goals in 16 appearances, five of those coming in the league, she also has 2 assists to add to the tally. Chelsea’s most creative player this season has been Guro Reiten she has racked up 13 assists this season in all competitions. ( assists in the league making her top of the league assist table so far this season. Reiten has a SCA of 73 (all competitions) 43 of those coming in the league. This will prove an interesting battle which the full back plays against her on Sunday. 

Predicted line up for Arsenal Women

Predicted line up for Chelsea Women

Sunday 15th January 2022

12pm (UK time)

Sky sports (UK) If the game is not being shown by a broadcaster in your location it will be on the FA player for free.