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Arsenal manager Renee Siegers on the selection of Blackstenius: “She’s just a great player that contributes in her way to our team. She’s been doing very well lately and we think we need her today on the pitch so she deserves to start.”
Gareth Taylor also spoke to Sky: “[We have had] a couple of good wins for us, the response has been really good. Today the margins will be tight, two decent teams. We want to come out on the right side of it.”
Last week, Arsenal ran Chelsea close.
Goalkeeper Khiara Keating comes back into the starting XI, with Ayaka Yamashita dropping to the bench: that’s City’s one change. Former Arsenal striker Vivianne Miedema starts up front against her old club as top-scorer Khadija Shaw is on the bench.
Three changes for Arsenal: Katie McCabe is suspended after she was sent off against Chelsea, Kim Little and forward Caitlin Foord injured. Stina Blackstenius, Frida Maanum and Lotte Wubben-Moy replace them.
Jenna Nighswonger, recently arrived at Arsenal is on the bench. Deserves a quiet night…
The teams
Man City Women: Keating, Casparij, Aleixandri, Knaak, Ouahabi, Roord, Hasegawa, Park, Fujino, Miedema, Fowler. Subs: Yamashita, Layzell, Kerolin, Blindkilde, Shaw, Prior, Oyama, Murphy, Mayzee Davies.
Arsenal Women: van Domselaar, Fox, Williamson, Catley, Wubben-Moy, Cooney-Cross, Maanum, Blackstenius, Caldentey, Mead, Russo. Subs: Zinsberger, Williams, Codina, Ilestedt, Reid, Peacock, Walti, Kafaji, Nighswonger.
Some meat on the bones of that amazing Kelly switch.
What the managers say
Taylor: “We have good options and it’s kind of working out what that week looks like. We’re not looking too far ahead, we have an important game on Sunday.
“I saw some good things at Villa last week. They’re always a difficult opponent so to put four past them is very impressive, and not many teams do that.”
Slegers: “We’re preparing for this game now and it’s the only game that counts. Sunday’s the only game, but it’s going to be interesting to view that game and see how we prep for the second game [against City].
“The supporters mean a lot for us, it’s quite special what we have at Arsenal and how we’re together now as a club, as a staff, as players and not least the fans who mean a lot to us.”
Preamble
A meeting of the chasing pack, trailing in the wake of the new Chelsea’s brilliance and Manchester United above them. And in the week that Chloe Kelly has accused Manchester City of attempting to “assassinate her character”, and joined Arsenal on loan. Kelly can’t play, of course, but that will add a certain flavour to the match. It’s a battle for third place, and more beyond that.
Join me for a 12pm kick-off on the Etihad Campus.
