Arsenal v London City Lionesses Preview

THE LOWDOWN
Arsenal kick off their WSL season at home to London City Lionesses on Saturday lunchtime at Emirates Stadium. Pre-game promises to be an emotional time with a farewell presentation on the pitch for Lia Walti at 13.10 followed by Leah Williamson parading the UWCL trophy on the pitch shortly after. The trophy will also be on display on the podium above the Armoury between 11.15 and 12.45.

The Gunners go into a WSL season with a good pre-season for the first time in living memory with no need for UWCL qualifiers on this occasion, while the fact that all their transfer business was concluded by mid-July was a disappointment to some who were hoping for extra reinforcement, it does at least mean that Arsenal ought to be nicely settled going into this game.

That won’t be the case for their opponents LCL, who have splashed the cash on a series of new players over the summer. It makes them difficult to read as an opponent as most of their starting eleven is likely to be different compared to the team that earned them promotion from WSL2 last season- and that team already looked strong.

With away games at West Ham and Manchester United to follow, a strong start at home will not just ne necessary but expected against strong opposition. The Gunners also said a tearful goodbye to long-serving midfielder Lia Walti this week, it remains to be seen how Arsenal see their way through to January with only five natural midfielders for three positions. That is more of a medium term issue than an issue for Saturday, though.

TEAM NEWS

Only Leah Williamson is unavailable after undergoing surgery on a knee injury during the summer. Olivia Smith and Anneke Borbe are in line for their full debuts, while Taylor Hinds rejoins the club after a seven year absence. Lia Walti, Lina Hurtig, Amanda Ilestedt, Laura Wienroither, Teyah Goldie, Freya Godfrey all left the club this summer while Michelle Agyemang and Rosa Kafaji joined Brighton on loan.

Available squad

Goalkeepers: 1.Zinsberger 14.van Domselaar 28.Borbe
Defenders: 2.Fox 3.Wubben-Moy 5.L.Codina 7.Catley 11.McCabe 22.Nighswonger 24.Hinds 26.Reid 44.Harwood
Midfield: 8.Mariona 10.Little(c) 12.L.Maanum 21.Pelova 32.Cooney-Cross
Forwards: 9.Mead 15.Smith 18.Kelly 19.Foord 23.Russo 25.Blackstenius

A WORD FROM THE BOSS
I have developed a lot in the last year, there have been so many learnings for me and I feel in a really good place. As a staff and players, we have tried to tackle everything that we think will impact us in the season early. We reset our foundations in pre-season and did a lot of that together, it has been a great period.

It wasn’t easy, we started in mid-July and we had different groups of players coming back at different times after the Euros, so we had to integrate everyone from a team cultural perspective, from a tactical perspective, physically there were challenges as well. But I think the staff and the players have done a really good job. I think players and coaches, me included, feel like we want to get going now.

The earlier you have your new players in, the better, so for us it was good. You give those players time to integrate and understand the game model and get used to the team and the staff and the surroundings and environment so that has been really positive for us.

LAST TIME OUT
The last time the teams met was in the 2025 FA Cup 5th Round at Meadow Park, Arsenal ran out 2-0 winners thanks to goals from Laia Codina and Stina Blackstenius.

HIGHLIGHTS | Arsenal vs London City Lionesses (2-0) | FA Cup | Blackstenius’ 50th goal! – YouTube

THE OPPOSITION

For the first time in a few seasons, the newly promoted team to the WSL almost certainly will have no part to play in the relegation battle. In the second tier, LCL were already buttressed by internationals such as Kosavore Asllani, Sofia Jakobsson and Saki Kumagai, LCL have purchased a host of other international stars, backed by ambitious billionaire owner Michelle Kang.

They spent what is thought to be a world record fee on French midfielder Grace Geyoro on deadline day, they tested Arsenal’s mettle by making a big bid for Beth Mead this summer. They have also added former Gunners Danielle van de Donk, Nikita Parris and Freya Godfrey, as well as Alana Kennedy, Katie Zelem and Lucia Corrales.

Kang also owns Lyon’s women’s team, as well as Washington Spirit in the NWSL and it is very clear they have ambitions to get to the very top. They may not challenge for a title or even a UWCL spot just yet but with this level of investment that is probably coming down the track. LCL have come a long way as an independent club since splitting from Millwall in 2019 and they will be disruptors to the WSL hierarchy.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Alessia Russo signed a new contract with the club this week which will take the 26-year into her peak years and makes her part of a core of players in their mid-20s, along with van Domselaar, Emily Fox, Victoria Pelova and Lotte Wubben-Moy as an emerging senior group. Russo finished tied with Bunny Shaw on 12 WSL goals for last season which saw her share the Golden Boot.

In reality, Shaw was injured for much of the season and Russo is every inch an all-round striker but focusing on getting more towards the 20-goal a season mark will be a private target for the player. With Stina Blackstenius in the squad and Michelle Agyemang emerging into the limelight, there is pressure on her place, even if Russo feels like an automatic pick.

Having won the Champions League and back to back European Championships, scoring in the final of the Euros this summer, Russo is well decorated at team level, but speaks of her hunger for more and more. A WSL title is missing from her CV and that feels like something missing from Arsenal’s recent CV too. Russo is a huge part of the group that led the club to a second Champions League title, now she will want to lead Arsenal to more sustained domestic success.

PREDICTED LINE UP

Subs: 5.L.Codina 9.Mead 15.Smith 21.Pelova 22.Nighswonger 24.Hinds 25.Blackstenius 28.Borbe 32.Cooney-Cross

HOW TO CATCH THE GAME
The game takes place at Emirates Stadium at 1.30pm on Saturday and will be shown live on the BBC in the UK. Full global listings can be found here.

COMING UP
We will have all the usual post match reaction with on the whistle match report from Aidan Gibson and full post-match quotes from Renee Slegers on the site about an hour after full-time. Jamie and I will have a podcast for you ready for Monday and we will also have a full tactical analysis of the game online on Monday or Tuesday.

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