As they are not participating in the FA Cup after being eliminated by Chelsea, the Arsenal Women are scheduled to play again next week in a WSL possible title-deciding match versus Manchester United.
As things stand, Arsenal (38 points), Manchester United (41 points), Chelsea (40 points), and Manchester City (38 points) are all in contention for the WSL title. The WSL championship race is wide open. Arsenal is lucky enough to face the key championship contenders in the remaining matchups until the season’s finale; so they have the ability to determine their own fate.
They already took care of one challenger, defeating Manchester City 2-1 in their last match before the international break. They’ll meet Chelsea near the end of the season, but first, they’ll play the red side of Manchester United.
Manchester United has emerged as a force in English women’s football; their brilliance has propelled them to the top of the table, three points ahead of Arsenal, despite having played one more game. Arsenal’s best result in their last three games against them has been a draw; in their most recent match, back in November, they lost 3-2, one of their two losses this season. Eidevall will be eager to avenge that loss next week, just as he led his girls to avenge the league loss to Man City, and in order to do so, he must focus on three things.
1. Sharpen His Team’s Defensive Side Of The Game (have his defence alert):
This season, Manchester United’s strength has been their ability to score goals. Only three times in their 11 games this calendar year have they failed to score more than one goal. United are a high-scoring team, so Arsenal’s defence must be at its best to prevent surrendering goals they can avoid.
2. Find Efficiency In Attack:
Eidevall’s girls need a precise game plan to score past a United team that has rock-solid defence. The Red Devils have allowed the fewest goals in the league, with only nine. Recognizing that Arsenal has failed to convert the many chances they create without Beth Mead and Vivienne Miedema at times in recent months, they must be so good versus United that they bury any chance they create in front of the goal. A win will mean everything to Arsenal, and a draw will not be as advantageous to them as it will be to Manchester United.
3. Maintain Their Momentum:
A diehard Arsenal fan would argue that the international break came at a horrible time for the club since they were soaring. Going into the international break, Arsenal appeared to have discovered their winning formula, having defeated Tottenham Hotspur, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City. I’m sure they would have beaten Manchester United if they had played them right away. They can still do so, even after such a long hiatus. They can leverage the momentum gained by qualifying for the Champions League and their recent victories to overcome United on their turf.
A win over United would tie the two clubs in points; the next aim for Arsenal will be to go on another winning streak until they meet Chelsea, beat Chelsea, and finally end their four-year league title drought.
Michelle Maxwell
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