Arsenal are set to face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge this weekend, aiming to bounce back from a tough defeat in the Subway Women’s League Cup semi-final against Manchester United. A victory in the London derby would bring Arsenal within just one point of Chelsea in the Barclays Women’s Super League, closing the gap to Manchester City, who sit seven points ahead, with their match against London City Lionesses scheduled for Sunday.
Renee Confident in Team’s Response
In her pre-match press conference, head coach Renée Slegers expressed confidence in her team’s ability to perform, despite the recent setback. “The performances have been good. We have belief, and the players are playing with confidence. I believe in them and what they are doing,” Slegers said. “It’s always a good moment when we play these big games. The players rise to the occasion, and we know what we need to do tomorrow. We want to win. We need to win. Points are crucial for us, and this game helps us clarify our objectives,” she added.
Looking ahead to the Chelsea fixture, Slegers acknowledged the strength of the Blues, who are looking to reduce the gap between them and Manchester City. “Chelsea has been a trophy-winning team for a long time. With Emma Hayes and now Sonia Bompastor at the helm, they have a lot of winners in their squad. They’re a good team, with a variety of threats that we need to manage,” she said. “It’s going to be another close game. The two matches I’ve coached against them were both tight—one ended with a late goal at Stamford Bridge, and the other was a 1-1 draw. We’re definitely up for it,” she added confidently.
Arsenal are coming off three strong performances since the start of January, but a lack of goals—especially in their recent loss to United—has been a point of frustration. “We’re full of fuel to go into the game tomorrow,” Slegers affirmed. “We’ve been working hard, and the team is ready to rise to the occasion.”
In the corresponding fixture last year, Chelsea handed Arsenal their first defeat under Slegers with an 83rd-minute penalty from Guro Reiten. “They came out fast and scored early in that match,” Slegers recalled. “We have 3,000 fans travelling with us this time, which is incredible. We’ll feel their energy, and they will help fuel us for this important game,” she added.
