The Preview As City Face Arsenal Women In The Capital

LCFC Women
04 May 2023
3 Minutes
LCFC Women take on Arsenal at Meadow Park on Friday evening (7:30pm BST) in the Barclays Women's Super League.

City travel to the capital to face off against the Gunners after lifting themselves off the bottom of the Barclays Women's Super League by picking up three points in an outstanding 4-0 display against Liverpool last weekend.

Ahead of this week's clash, here is a detailed look at both sides...

The Foxes camp

The Foxes have picked up six points from their last two matches.

Leicester held a 100 per cent record in the WSL throughout April, after a late Carrie Jones winner dispatched Reading 2-1 before gliding past Liverpool with four different goalscorers leading the Foxes to their fourth league win of the season last Saturday.

Among the goals was Missy Goodwin, who netted her first WSL goal of her career, coming on as a second-half substitute and etching herself on the scoresheet with the last touch of the game.

Currently two points ahead of 12th-place Reading, who host Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon, a win in north London could see the Foxes climb above Tottenham and into ninth heading into their final three fixtures of the 2022/23 season.

The opposition

Steph Catley in action against VFL Wolfsburg in the UEFA Women's Champions League Semi-Final at Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal are sat fourth in the WSL, with 38 points so far this season, having won 12 of their 17 games played. The London outfit have only lost three times in the league all season, however recent UEFA Women's Champions League heartbreak and a depleted squad due to injury have put the Gunners in an unfortunate situation.

On Monday evening, Arsenal were knocked out of the Champions League Semi-Finals in front of 60,000 fans at Emirates Stadium, as a late goal from Pauline Bremer, deep into extra-time, sent VFL Wolfsburg to the final to face Barcelona on 3 June. 

Beth Mead, Vivianne Miedema and Leah Williamson have all suffered ACL injuries this season, and are joined in medical room by team captain Kim Little, and Caitlin Foord, who are both recovering from hamstring concerns, and therefore they are likely to be short of a full-strength team against Leicester.

In the dugout

Jonas Eidevall became Arsenal manager in August 2021.

Jones Eidevall has been the manager of Arsenal since August 2021, when he was appointed after serving as the head coach of Swedish club FC Rosengård in his home country.

The 40-year-old has won the Damallsvenskan on three occasions; first of all after winning back-to-back titles in 2013 and 2014 during his first stint with the club before recording more league success in 2019. More recently, Eidevall guided the Gunners to Continental Tyres League Cup success this season, beating Chelsea 3-1 in the final at Selhurst Park. 

Last time out

Leicester were beaten 4-0 by Arsenal earlier this season at King Power Stadium.

City don't have a good record against the three-time WSL champions, losing on both occasions last season. Frida Maanum scored twice in the 4-0 win for Arsenal at Meadow Park before Miedema etched two for herself in a 5-0 reverse at King Power Stadium.

This season, City were beaten 4-0 on Filbert Way as Maanum, Foord, Steph Catley and Stina Blackstenius netted on Filbert Way, back in November of last year.

Ticket and live coverage details

Friday's WSL game will be played at Meadow Park.

All the details and information to follow the Foxes in Friday evening's match against Arsenal can be found HERE.

All times BST.