Preview: Arsenal Women vs. Tottenham Hotspur Ladies - prediction, team news, lineups

A bumper crowd is expected at the Emirates, with over 40,000 tickets having been sold for the match so far.

Match preview

Brushing Brighton & Hove Albion aside in their opening WSL fixture, the season got off to a perfect start for Eidevall's side with a 4-0 victory at Meadow Park on Friday evening.

They had been due to start their campaign away to Manchester City, but the death of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, saw the opening weekend of WSL action postponed.

Instead, Arsenal were gifted a more favourable game to open their season, with Brighton offering little resistance to a free-flowing Gunners outfit.

Granted, a controversial red card to Brighton's Emma Kullberg after just seven minutes made life easier for Arsenal, with replays of the incident suggesting that the initial move that led to the sending off was offside.

Regardless, a merciless Arsenal netted four against the side down to 10, as Stina Blackstenius, Kim Little and the Euro 2022 Player of the Tournament, Beth Mead, all shone during the commanding victory.

The result put Arsenal top of the early WSL table following a dramatic opening weekend of action, with reigning champions and title favourites Chelsea slipping up away to recently-promoted Liverpool in their first outing.

Looking for their first league title since 2018-19, Arsenal's pursuit of glory will continue in front of an estimated 40,000 people at the Emirates this weekend - a crowd that will become the biggest ever for a WSL crowd in the competition's history.

The current record reads 38,262, which itself was set for a North London derby all the way back in November 2019, when Arsenal triumphed over Tottenham at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

That season was Tottenham's first in the WSL, where they went on to finish in a respectable seventh, before dropping to eighth the following campaign and then an impressive fifth last time around.

Unable to match the might of their North London rivals in the WSL yet, Spurs' introduction to the top-flight of the women's game has been slow and steady.

In what has been a summer of change for Tottenham, they will compete at a new ground this season, having ditched Barnet's Hive Stadium for Leyton Orient's Brisbane Road.

There have also been plenty of arrivals coming through the door, with experienced midfielder Drew Spence arriving at the club, before going on to have a debut to remember last weekend.

Netting Tottenham's second goal in a productive first half against Leicester City, the former Chelsea player then scored an own goal after half-time, presenting the Foxes with a route back into the game.

Luckily it would not cost Spurs the three points, but Spence and co. will have to eliminate any similar mistakes on Saturday should they wish to take points off an Arsenal side they have never beaten in the WSL.

Of their five meetings in WSL history, Arsenal have won four and drawn the other during a fixture that generally represents a dismal outing for Tottenham.

In fact, across all their meetings in competitive football, Tottenham remains winless, having played each other eight times and drawing just two.

No doubt the heavy underdogs heading into this weekend's meeting, Tottenham will be hoping to spoil the party on Saturday, as the eyes of the women's footballing world once again cast their gaze on yet another potentially historic North London derby.

Arsenal Women competition form:

W

Arsenal Women form (all competitions):

W

W

W

W

W

D

Tottenham Hotspur Ladies competition form:

W

Tottenham Hotspur Ladies form (all competitions):

L

L

D

L

W

W

Team News

Fresh off the back of a stellar summer with the England Lionesses, Mead started the campaign in strong form and is likely to be joined once again in attack by Blackstenius, Caitlin Foord and Vivianne Miedema.

Midfielder Little backed up her goal against Brighton last weekend with another during the Women's Champions League qualifying draw with Ajax in midweek, and she is likely to be partnered by Lia Walti in the centre of the park.

England skipper Leah Williamson is expected to retain her position in the heart of defence, with number one goalkeeper Manuela Zinsberger between the sticks behind her.

As for Tottenham, goalscorer from the opening weekend Spence is likely to be partnered in midfield by Angharad James, while Ashleigh Neville and Asmita Ale offer width from wing-back.

Attacking threat could come in the shape of Eveliina Summanen, who is yet to score for Spurs since arriving at the club in January.

Rosella Ayane and Jessica Naz will operate from out wide, whereas at the opposite end of the pitch, it will be the job of former Arsenal goalkeeper Rebecca Spencer to keep out the potent Gunners attack.

Arsenal Women possible starting lineup:

Zinsberger; Wienroither, Williamson, Souza, McCabe; Walti, Little; Mead, Miedema, Foord; Blackstenius

Tottenham Hotspur Ladies possible starting lineup:

Spencer; Turner, Bartrip, Zadorsky; Ale, James, Spence, Neville; Naz, Summanen, Ayane

We say: Arsenal Women 3-0 Tottenham Hotspur Ladies

It is difficult to see past Arsenal for this clash, not least because of their imperious record over Tottenham in the WSL, but also due to the performances so far this season.

Expect the record WSL crowd to be treated to an Arsenal masterclass on Saturday afternoon, as the Gunners continue their strong start to the campaign with a comfortable victory.

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