Manchester City v Arsenal: The Brief

Following our opening-day victory against Birmingham City, Pedro Martinez Losa’s side will be keen to maintain their momentum against the champions, Manchester City, at the weekend.

We came back from a player down against Birmingham to beat the Blues 3-2, courtesy of late goals from Lisa Evans and Jodie Taylor - who hit a brace.

Now we have an even sterner test ahead, and we examine the game in detail in our comprehensive pre-match briefing below.

THE OPPOSITION

City started their WSL campaign with a bang last week, seeing off newly-promoted Yeovil Town 4-0 away from home.

On target were Jane Ross, Isobel Christiansen, Georgia Stanway and Jill Scott.

The hosts are the reigning WSL and FA Women’s Cup champions, and their squad includes former Gunners Jennifer Beattie and Steph Houghton.

ONE TO WATCH

Having made an instant impact off the bench to equalise against Birmingham, Lisa Evans will be hoping to continue her goalscoring form against City.

The Scotland international joined us in June from Bayern Munich, where she picked up a Bundesliga title.

Speaking after the victory against Birmingham last week, Losa told Arsenal.com: “Lisa scored the equalising goal and I think she performed fantastically, she’s a great girl, she wants to work hard and also I’m very happy for her to score.”

LAST TIME WE MET

We beat City 1-0 away from home, with Jordan Nobbs netting the only goal of the game, in the Spring Series.

Beth Mead came close to opening the scoring, but it was Nobbs who broke the deadlock 15 minutes from full-time when the midfielder fired in a spectacular free-kick from long range.

City themselves almost equalised through Toni Duggan, but the now-departed forward saw her shot saved by Sari van Veenendaal.