Manchester United Women will play Arsenal Women at Leigh Sports Village on Wednesday in the Women’s Super League.
Team Form
Man United Women
Over the weekend, Man United secured their spot in the FA Cup final with a thrilling 3-2 win against Brighton & Hove Albion.
The game was packed with action, as goals from Leah Galton and Alessia Russo gave the Red Devils a 2-1 lead following an unfortunate own goal from Mary Earps in the first half.
Despite Danielle Carter scoring an equalizer, the match seemed to be heading towards extra time until Rachel Williams came off the bench and scored a dramatic winner in the 89th minute, sealing Man United’s place in the final against the reigning champions, Chelsea.
With the FA Cup final secured, Man United’s focus now shifts back to the Women’s Super League title race, where they currently lead the pack with one point above second-placed Chelsea, who have a game in hand.
Man United Women WSL Form: W W L W W
Arsenal Women
Arsenal was not in action over the weekend, but they are now gearing up for a crucial week ahead. They are set to face one of their title rivals and travel to Germany for the first leg of their Champions League semi-final against Wolfsburg.
Currently, Arsenal is just three points behind league leaders Man United, but they know their position in the Champions League places is not entirely secure. Fourth-placed Manchester City is sitting just outside the top three on goal difference.
The Gunners, however, have a slight advantage, as they have a game in hand over the two Manchester clubs. With a potential victory on Wednesday, they could level on points with Man United, making the title race all the more exciting.
Arsenal Women WSL Form: L W W W W
Squad Report
Man United Women
Unfortunately, Man United still faces injury concerns as two key players, Maria Thorisdottir and Lisa Naalsund, remain sidelined due to their injuries.
Arsenal Women
Arsenal has received some bad news with the confirmation that Kim Little will miss the remainder of the season due to a hamstring injury she sustained during last month’s Champions League match against Bayern Munich.
In addition to Little’s absence, Arsenal’s long-term absentees Vivianne Miedema and Beth Mead are still sidelined with their respective injuries.
Steph Catley will also likely miss out on upcoming matches due to her injury concerns.
Manchester United Women’s expected starting lineup:
Earps; Batlle, Le Tissier, Turner, Blundell; Ladd, Zelem; Garcia, Toone, Galton; Russo
Arsenal Women’s expected starting lineup:
D’Angelo; Maritz, Wubben-Moy, Rafaelle, McCabe; Williamson, Walti; Pelova, Maanum, Foord; Blackstenius
Head to Head
Manchester United Women and Arsenal Women have a history of playing each other, with 8 meetings between them in the past several seasons.
Out of those 8 matches, Arsenal Women have emerged victorious in 4, while Manchester United Women have won 3 matches. One match between the two teams ended in a draw.
Time, Date & Venue
Date: Wednesday, April 19
Time: 05:15 pm, UTC
Venue: Leigh Sports Village, Manchester
Prediction
Manchester United Women have been impressive at home, winning eight of their last nine competitive matches on their turf. This is a testament to their strength as a team and the formidable advantage they have at home.
In addition, the fact that they won the reverse fixture against Arsenal Women 3-2 in November bodes well for their chances in the upcoming match. They have shown they can compete with one of the league’s top teams and come out on top.
