Match preview

Preview: Arsenal Women v West Ham

Arsenal v West Ham

Victory over West Ham tomorrow would see us break the record for the longest winning streak ever in the WSL with 13 straight wins.

Our Gunners kick off proceedings at 6.45pm UK time, with live coverage commencing from 6:30pm on Sky Sports Football.

For those at Meadow Park in person, there will be a special pitchside presentation marking Stonewall's Rainbow Laces campaign, with referee Lucy Clark and former Gunner Lianne Sanderson in attendance. 

The Hammers' season so far

Dagny Brynjarsdottir celebrates with West Ham teammates

It's been a mixed start to the season for West Ham, who currently sit in fifth position in the table after three wins and two losses. An opening 1-0 win over Everton was followed by a tough run of fixtures against Manchester United and Chelsea, which the Hammers lost. 

The East London side have settled into a more dynamic, counterattacking style of football under Paul Konchesky, a setup that is starting to bear fruit. They have now won two matches on the bounce against Aston Villa and Reading, and will be heading to Meadow Park on Sunday in search of an upset. 

Ones to watch

Viviane Asseyi takes a free kick

New signing Viviane Asseyi, who joined the Hammers from Bayern Munich in August, has made an early impact on the WSL. Her two goals against Reading bagged West Ham the three points and in the words of Eidevall, "she's pacy and very good at taking on players 1v1."

West Ham's top scorer this season is Iceland's Dagny Brynjarsdottir, whose aerial threat is second to none in the league. The midfielder has been on the scoresheet three times so far, in her second season for the East London side. 

Ex-Gunner Lisa Evans will return to Meadow Park tomorrow after leaving us in the summer, and the experienced Kate Longhurst - the only current West Ham player to have scored against us - has enjoyed another bright start to her campaign.

"We really have to be aware of that pace and the threats that they pose," said Eidevall, before the match. "That's what we need to try and nullify."

What the managers say

Paul Konchesky

Eidevall on West Ham: "I think it's pretty clear when you see West Ham play, that they're a strong team on the counter attack. I think that they have some really good individual players up front who can do a few different things.

"Before, Olli Harder had a setup and formation which allowed for a lot of control, which posed a different threat because it's sometimes hard to get the ball from them when you try to press them high. Maybe then, they were lacking players up front once they were getting through, but nowadays, they look very dangerous once they get through in counter attacks or open play situations." - read every word of his pre-match preview

Konchesky on us: "We obviously know the quality that Arsenal have, but we have also shown that we can catch teams cold with the starts that we have made this season, which has contributed to some of our wins so far. It’s going to be a tough test, but it’s one that we are looking forward to. 

"They’ve shown not only throughout this season, but also for a number of years that they are capable of scoring lots of goals. They have some top players and that’s why they are top of the league at the moment, whilst also performing well in the Champions League. We know their strengths and their weaknesses, but we have to go there and believe in what we believe in – take our game plan to them. Hopefully, if we do that and execute it effectively then we have a chance of causing an upset."

How to watch

Jordan Nobbs

We kick off proceedings at Meadow Park at 6.45pm UK time. Live coverage starts from 6:30pm on Sky Sports Football.

Facts and stats

Kim Little
  • We have beaten our London rivals in all seven meetings in the WSL. Our biggest scoreline against the Hammers came in September 2020 when we recorded a 9-1 victory away from home, with Miedema, Little, Mead, Williamson and Foord all getting on the scoresheet
  • So far this season, we have only allowed opponents an average of 7.9 passes per defensive action - the lowest rate of any side in the league
  • The Hammers have won their past two games in a row. They have only reached three successive league wins once before in December 2018
  • Skipper Kim Little has scored five goals in seven appearances against West Ham in the league, only netting more against Liverpool in the competition
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