Key events
Jenna Nighswonger’s loan move to Aston Villa from Arsenal was announced this morning but what is interesting is that the contract includes a deal to buy. The defender signed for the Gunners in the summer but has struggled to break into the first team.
Arsenal announced huge news in this transfer window earlier this week but it did not concern a player. The manager Renée Slegers signed a new deal which runs until 2029, a massively important bit of business for the Gunners to do:
Let’s have a bit of transfer news now shall we? The rumour mill is in overdrive after Georgia Stanway announced she would be leaving Bayern Munich at the end of the season this morning. The England international has been linked with Arsenal. Her move has not been confirmed and so is not in our interactive yet but you can catch up with all of the other moves:
Tom Garry
There are around 37,000 fans expected here at a crisp-feeling Emirates Stadium todaywhich has quickly started to feel like a normal turnout for Renée Slegers’ team’s home games, in contrast to women’s football around the rest of Europe. Arsenal are averaging just over 36,000 for home games this term, while nobody else in the continent is averaging more than four figures. There is a buzz around the ground despite the chill in the air. There is also a feeling that this is a hugely significant game. Neither side can afford to lose, if they have any hope of catching the leaders Manchester City, and equally, any losing side today would lose ground on the other in the race for the Champions League places. In light of City and Chelsea’s strength at present, it is likely that one of these two sides meeting today will miss out on Europe, so this is a key battle.
The fixture is not only a big game for Manchester United as they could move into third but it is also manager Marc Skinner’s 100th game in charge of the club.
The 42-year-old was named boss in 2021 and has brought the club their first major trophy with the FA Cup in 2024
Manchester United manager Marc Skinner said on Arsenal:
It’s always who can take the big moments.
We’re going to maximise what we can. We’ve got to play our game effectively as what we’re really good at, but also understand that they can create magic moments and so can we.
Arsenal manager Renée Slegers has said on United:
We expect them to come out and be aggressive and apply themselves as they want to. Of course we see that they pride themselves on their defensive game, their intensity, their aggression.
They have specific qualities, they’ve added to their squad as well. So we’ll see how they start and finish the game tomorrow. We’ll have to be prepared for different scenarios, because depending on the personnel they might want to play, those players play to their strengths.
Tom Garry
Leah Williamson makes her first league start of the seasonhaving returned from injury shortly before Christmas. There are not many surprises in either of the starting sides. The visitors have left their debutants Hanna Lundkvist and Lea Schüller on the bench, which is also the case for Arsenal’s new signings, Smilla Holmberg.
The team news is in. There is good news for Arsenal fans as Leah Williamson starts as she continues to build minutes following her injury post-Euros. Anneke Borbe is in goal too with Daphne van Domselaar still sidelined.
Arsenal: Borbe, Fox, Willy, Catley, McCabe, Little, Caldentey, Manum, Mead, Smith, Russo.
Bench: Williams, Wubben-Moy, Codina, Hinds, Holmberg, Harwood, Pelova, Foord, Blackstenius
Manchester United’s two big signings Lea Schüller and Hanna Lundkvist will have to wait for their debut as they both start on the bench.
Man Utd: Tullis-joyce, sandberg, le tissier, park, malad, terland, rolfo, rivier, Jansen, zigiotti, jealousy.
Bench: Middleton-Patel, Rendell, Lundkvist, Turner, Awujo, Naalsund, Drury, Griffiths, Schuller
Preamble
Hello and welcome to the return of the Women’s Super League. The top-flight took a Christmas break but it is back with a bang with Arsenal v Manchester United.
It is third and fourth in the table going up against one another and it could have further implications for whoever potentially loses as Tottenham are just two and one points behind both teams respectively. Spurs play Leicester tomorrow and could climb the table by the end of the weekend.
We will be hearing the team news for today’s match shortly but one player who will definitely not be playing for Arsenal is Jenna Nighswonger. The American defender confirmed her loan move to Aston Villa this morning.
Manchester United, meanwhile, may have some new faces in their team after some shrewd transfer business so far. One such star is Lea Schüller who could be the difference this afternoon.
Kick-off is coming at 12.30pm GMT so stay tuned for all the build-up for this huge clash.
