Preview: Arsenal Women v West Ham United | Pre-Match Report | News

Women’s Super League soccer is again at Emirates Stadium on Saturday, March 21 (12pm UK) as our run of London derbies continues in opposition to West Ham United.

Last trip, we continued the place we left off earlier than the worldwide break as we prolonged our profitable run in all competitions to eight matches with a 2-0 win away to London City Lionesses.

We’ll be trying to proceed our unbeaten document in opposition to London rivals this season as we return to Emirates Stadium for the primary time since a 1-0 win over Manchester City in February.

hammers pulling away from the drop

West Ham endured a tough begin to the season, dropping their opening seven league video games, certainly one of which was a 5-1 defeat to us within the reverse fixture. But since bringing in supervisor Rita Guarino in December, issues have appeared up for the Hammers.

The east London aspect got here into the brand new 12 months with simply 5 factors within the league, however they’ve earned seven over their final 5 video games as issues start to click on underneath a brand new boss.

After a 2-1 win over relegation rivals Leicester City, the Hammers produced an impressive late comeback to beat Brighton 3-2 regardless of having been 2-0 down within the 81st minute. Somewhat fittingly, this was the end result to raise West Ham off the underside of the league desk.

Defeats Everton within the league and Brighton within the FA Cup then threatened to dampen the temper in east London as Guarino noticed his aspect lose back-to-back video games for the primary time in his tenure.

But with their fixture in opposition to Manchester United pushed again from final weekend to Wednesday night time due to the Subway Women’s League Cup closing, the Hammers used the additional days of relaxation to their benefit, and secured a powerful 0-0 draw with the Red Devils on the Chigwell Construction Stadium.

West Ham now journey to north London three factors off the underside of the WSL desk, though with backside aspect Leicester having performed a sport much less.

what the managers say

Slegers: “We know what they will convey with actually laborious work. With all of the play, with runs in behind, with dribbles. So we’ll need to be actually disciplined after we defend. They acquired rewards for his or her laborious work in opposition to United.

“They kept spaces really small, they defended as a unit all together, so if they do that against us as well at the Emirates tomorrow then we’ll have to be prepared to break them down and they will not make it easy for us.”

Guarino: “Arsenal create loads of probabilities, so it is one other sport we must be targeted on defensively. We know the way robust they’re and the way harmful they are often.

“We studied all the scenarios that they can play in. But in a way, nothing changes because in every shape, they are strong, so we need to be focused on what we need to do. I think about us.”

staff information

Frida Maanum has been in poor health over the previous week so she is unlikely to characteristic in Saturday’s London derby. Leah Williamson can also be a doubt after battling a hamstring challenge since our 2-0 win over London City final weekend.

Aside from Frida and Leah, everybody else who was concerned on the Copperjax Community Stadium final week is out there as soon as once more to face the Hammers.

details and stats

Renée Slegers may develop into the primary supervisor in WSL historical past to keep away from defeat in every of her first 16 dwelling matches in cost; she is at present tied with Chelsea’s Sonia Bompastor with 15.

We have received 12 of our final 14 WSL video games in opposition to West Ham United, together with all seven video games we have performed at dwelling, scoring no less than twice in every of these victories.

West Ham have misplaced every of their final six London derbies, final profitable one in April 2025 after they thrashed Crystal Palace 7-1 away from dwelling.

Only Vivianne Miedema (71) and Jodie Taylor (84) have a greater minutes per aim or help fee for us within the WSL than Chloe Kelly (95 minutes, seven objectives and 6 assists), who has two objectives and two assists throughout her final three league begins.

Since she joined the league in 2025, West Ham’s Shekiera Martinez has scored extra WSL objectives in London derbies than another participant (eight), together with the German’s first away aim within the competitors which got here in opposition to us in March final 12 months.

Beth Mead has solely been straight concerned in additional WSL objectives in opposition to Chelsea (14) than West Ham United (13 – 5 objectives, eight assists); his eight assists in opposition to the Hammers are the joint-most any participant has in opposition to a single opponent within the competitors.

match officers

Phoebe Cross will take cost of Saturday’s London derby in what shall be her tenth WSL sport of the season.

Across 9 league video games to date this marketing campaign, Cross has distributed 23 yellow playing cards and awarded three penalties, though all three spot kicks had been awarded in her first two video games of the marketing campaign.

This would be the second time Cross has taken cost of certainly one of our league matches this season; our paths final crossed on the King Power Stadium when she oversaw our 4-1 win over Leicester City in November.

Referee: Phoebe Cross
Assistant referees: Jon Ashworth-Sears, Phoebe Horner
Fourth officer: Stacey Pearson

the right way to watch

We’ll be displaying the sport reside on the Arsenal app and on Arsenal.comso ensure to tune in from 11.55am to look at our conflict with the Hammers!

Alternatively, a host of other broadcasters all over the world are additionally displaying the sport reside.