That’s all from me today. I’ll leave you with Tom Garry’s match report from Anfield.
How that leaves the WSL table…
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Man City Women | 9 | 17 | 25 |
| 2 | Chelsea Women | 9 | 23 | 23 |
| 3 | London City Lionesses | 8 | 10 | 16 |
| 4 | Man Utd Women | 9 | -1 | 15 |
| 5 | Brighton & Hove Albion Women | 9 | 5 | 14 |
| 6 | Tottenham Hotspur Women | 9 | 5 | 13 |
| 7 | Arsenal Women | 9 | 0 | 13 |
| 8 | Everton Women | 9 | -2 | 11 |
| 9 | Aston Villa Women | 9 | -6 | 10 |
| 10 | West Ham Women | 9 | -10 | 9 |
| 11 | Liverpool FC Women | 9 | -2 | 8 |
| 12 | Crystal Palace Women | 9 | -10 | 7 |
| 13 | Birmingham City Women | 8 | -7 | 6 |
| 14 | Charlton Women | 9 | -22 | 1 |
Arsenal head coach Renée Slegers tells Sky Sports: “Very good for us, of course. Liverpool away is a difficult game. It’s an honour to play at Anfield, it’s a historic ground. I’m just happy with the three points. We didn’t get them last weekend at home and we really needed them.
“You could see the way the team came out in the first half, good with a lot of energy. Scored two really good goals. Liverpool are a good team, they spent a lot of time in possession so there was sometimes a lot more time than we usually spend out of possession and we had to defend well. They asked us questions towards the end of the game, there was so much fight, passion and pride for the club to defend our goal with everything we could. There were bodies on the line, I’m just really proud that we showed that character and did everything we could to get the win over the line.”
Alessia Russo has scored each of Arsenal’s last seven goals.
There are three more WSL fixtures to be played this afternoon:
Crystal Palace v Charlton Athletic
Tottenham v Brighton
London City Lionesses v Birmingham City
Full-time results:
Liverpool 1-2 Arsenal
Aston Villa 0-1 Manchester United
Full-time: Liverpool 1-2 Arsenal
That is a huge three points for Arsenal. They desperately needed that.
90+3 min: Liverpool are throwing everything at this now. The ball is sent forward to Bergström, but she is flagged offside.
90 min: Arsenal are putting bodies on the line as they look to block a flurry of Liverpool attacks.
Five minutes have been added on. Can the Gunners see this out?
88 min: Huge chance for Liverpool! Bergström plays a short pass to Itamura in the box. The midfielder sends it across to Kapocs, who blasts her effort wide.
87 min: Arsenal find themselves on the back foot as we head into the final minutes, with Liverpool desperately searching for an equaliser.
The Reds are playing very high.
85 min: Hinds is unable to continue following that ankle injury. She is replaced by Lotte Wubben-Moy.
Five minutes of regular time to play.
82 min: Arsenal have made two more changes in the last few minutes.
Smilla Holmberg has replaced Smith, with Kyra Cooney-Cross on for Little.
81 min: Hinds is down and receiving treatment for what appears to be an ankle issue.
80 min: Foord is shown a yellow card for a shirt pull on Bergström.
77 min: There is still plenty of time for Liverpool to get an equaliser here. They are beginning to put more pressure on Arsenal again as we enter the final stages.
75 min: Bergström sends a deep cross into the box and Kapocs attempts to get her head to it, but Williamson makes contact beforehand.
72 min: Oh my goodness! Alessia Russo has missed a sitter!
The ball is sent across the face of goal by Stanway and falls to Russo in the middle, no more than two yards out, but she scuffs her shot and it runs behind! Very uncharacteristic from the striker. She has her head in her hands. She knows she should have scored.
That would’ve wrapped up the hat-trick and probably the win.
Updated
68 min: Another change for Liverpool as Mari Ward replaces Bernabé.
67 min: Arsenal head down to the other end as Little sends a cross into the box, but Keating claims it with ease.
65 min: Liverpool create a good chance as a dangerous cross is sent into the six yard box from the right, but Little manages to clear it away.
62 min: Gareth Taylor is next to make two changes for Liverpool as Endemann and Ramos make way for Alice Bergstrom and Mao Itamura.
59 min: Endemann looks to cross into the box from the right, but there is too much power on it and the ball runs behind for a goal kick.
56 min: Renée Slegers is first to make some changes as Élisa De Almeida replaces Catley and Baum makes way for Frida Maanum.
54 min: Arsenal have started this half much like they started the first. They just need to maintain this intensity.
53 min: Little plays a short pass through to Stanway in the box. The midfielder goes for goal and forces a save from Keating.
50 min: Arsenal break down the right side again as Baum looks to send a low cross into the box, but Fisk makes the interception.
48 min: Arsenal move forward now as Fox looks to play a pass into the Liverpool box, but it is intercepted and cleared.
46 min: Liverpool break forward early as Kapocs plays the ball across goal, but nobody can tap it home.
Kick-off: Liverpool 1-2 Arsenal
We’re back under way!
Bill sent this email just before kick-off:
“I can’t help looking at the Arsenal line up and thinking ‘that’s a good team’. So what happened, and how can it be improved?
“Did they lose players who brought spirit over the summer? Are they aging? Is there a gloom or lack of belief, or even lack of ambition in the camp? Is there a position that is lacking (e.g. striker), or even a position or role that is a particular problem (e.g. striker / scoring goals)?
“Is all of this the sort of thing that a new manager needs to address? I kinda hope not. I really like Renée. But maybe that’s the issue - she’s too likeable? Ah well. COYG.”
To me, it feels like Arsenal don’t really have a player who can grab their team-mates and the game by the scruff of the neck when things are not going their way. Katie McCabe had that ability – but she made the move across London to Chelsea this summer. Beth Mead also had the ability to come on and change games, but, of course, she is now at Manchester City.
It also feels like Arsenal have become quite predictable in the way they approach games and play. Teams know what to expect, so they can find a way to beat them.
Of course, that would be down to Slegers, but I also think the players need to take some responsibility for not being clinical enough when they do get chances.
Elsewhere in the WSL right now, the game between Aston Villa and Manchester United is goalless.
Aston Villa 0-0 Manchester United
Updated
And, breathe… That was a brilliant half of football. Although Arsenal lead, it still feels like this could go either way.
Half-time: Liverpool 1-2 Arsenal
Arsenal lead at the break following an action-packed first half.
45+1 min: That goal came at a great time for Arsenal. They will lead going into the break.
GOAL! Liverpool 1-2 Arsenal (Alessia Russo, 45)
Russo strikes again for Arsenal! Baum sends a cross into the box and the striker gets to it first, directing a header into the bottom-left corner.
Updated
44 min: The Gunners make their way forward and pass the ball around the Liverpool box, but struggle to cause a threat before the Reds break it down.
Updated
41 min: Arsenal appear to have a bit more momentum as we head into the final minutes of this half. But, if we’ve learned anything from this season, it’s that any team can strike against them at any moment.
38 min: Arsenal break forward as Hinds plays a pass through to Foord on the left. The winger makes her way to the byline before cutting the ball back to Smith, whose shot is excellently blocked by Fisk.
35 min: That disallowed Liverpool goal is a tough one to call. It’s very difficult to see – even with replays – if the ball came off Endemann or Catley.
If it was Catley, that goal should have stood and it’s very unlucky for the hosts.
32 min: Arsenal seem to have regained their fire – I’m not sure what took them so long. The intensity has increased again and they are now starting to put more pressure on the Liverpool defence.
29 min: Arsenal head straight down to the other end of the pitch as Russo plays Foord through, but the winger’s effort is sent wide.
28 min: Liverpool have the ball in the net – but it won’t count! After Arsenal fail to clear a corner away, Jenna Clark pounces to fire the ball into the net, but Endemann is deemed to be in an offside position.
Updated
27 min: Liverpool have a free kick in a dangerous position following a foul just outside the box.
Ramos takes it and forces a good save from Rodríguez.
26 min: Endemann sends a cross into the box from the right, but Williamson manages to scoop it away.
24 min: It took a while for Liverpool to grow into the game but they are playing very well now. Arsenal, meanwhile, have massively dropped off.
21 min: Liverpool are on the front foot now. They have had the most possession since that opening goal and are having more touches in the opposition box.
If any team looks likely to get a second, it’s the hosts.
18 min: As soon as Arsenal scored that opener, they took their foot off the gas. The intensity dropped and that has allowed Liverpool to gain momentum.
They could’ve built on that lead with the way they were playing but instead they have let it slip and now they are under pressure.
Updated
16 min: Ramos plays a long ball straight through the heart of the Arsenal midfield and defence to Olsson, who eases her way past Williamson before slotting her shot into the bottom-left corner.
I can’t help but think Williamson could’ve done better there. She appeared to let Olsson run straight through.
GOAL! Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal (Beata Olsson, 15)
Olsson levels things up!
That was some poor defending from Arsenal.
Updated
14 min: An interesting replay has just been shown from that Arsenal goal. As the cross was sent in, Smith appeared to pull the shirt of a Liverpool player, stopping them from intercepting the ball. That allowed Russo to get the shot away.
If we had VAR in the league, that could have been disallowed.
12 min: Arsenal have settled a bit more following that goal. Liverpool are being given a bit more space to play.
9 min: Fox makes a good run to the byline before playing a low cross into the box, where she finds Russo on the penalty spot. The striker – who has started the game in the No10 position – then drills her shot into the bottom-left corner with her first touch.
A great start for Arsenal.
Updated
GOAL! Liverpool 0-1 Arsenal (Alessia Russo, 8)
Alessia Russo breaks the deadlock for Arsenal!
The Gunners have been piling on the pressure so far and it has paid off.
6 min: This match has not been short of action so far! Smith is next to run through on goal but blasts her effort wide and over the crossbar from a tight angle.
5 min: Huge chance for the visitors as Baum goes for goal inside the box, but her effort takes a huge deflection off the shoulder of Kerr and rattles the crossbar!
4 min: Arsenal head straight back down to the other end of the pitch as Baum shrugs off Bernabé before winning a corner.
3 min: Endemann looks to send a cross towards the back post from the right but the ball runs behind.
2 min: Arsenal drive forward early and look to pile on the pressure. They move the ball around the edge of the Liverpool box before Baum makes a run to the byline, but the ball runs behind for a goal kick.
Kick-off
We’re under way at Anfield!
That period of silence was impeccably observed. Now, on to kick-off.
The teams are out and kick-off is just a few moments away. But first, everybody will observe a period of silence for Remembrance Sunday.
Updated
It will be interesting to see today if Alessia Russo starts as the lone striker, or in the No10 position.
Renée Slegers has been persevering with Russo in the 10 for much of the season so far. I do wonder if that could be a reason for Arsenal’s lack of goals. There is absolutely no doubt that the 27-year-old is at her best when she’s playing as a No9.
Updated
Manchester City returned to the top of the WSL table yesterday with a 5-0 win over West Ham, while Chelsea dropped points against Everton.
A look at the WSL table…
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Man City Women | 9 | 17 | 25 |
| 2 | Chelsea Women | 9 | 23 | 23 |
| 3 | London City Lionesses | 8 | 10 | 16 |
| 4 | Tottenham Hotspur Women | 8 | 6 | 13 |
| 5 | Man Utd Women | 8 | -2 | 12 |
| 6 | Brighton & Hove Albion Women | 8 | 4 | 11 |
| 7 | Everton Women | 9 | -2 | 11 |
| 8 | Arsenal Women | 8 | -1 | 10 |
| 9 | Aston Villa Women | 8 | -5 | 10 |
| 10 | West Ham Women | 9 | -10 | 9 |
| 11 | Liverpool FC Women | 8 | -1 | 8 |
| 12 | Birmingham City Women | 8 | -7 | 6 |
| 13 | Crystal Palace Women | 8 | -10 | 6 |
| 14 | Charlton Women | 8 | -22 | 0 |
Team news
Liverpool starting line-up: Khiara Keating; Sam Kerr, Grace Fisk (C), Jenna Clark, Alejandra Bernabé; Fūka Nagano, Natalia Ramos, Kirsty Maclean; Vivien Endemann, Cornelia Kapocs, Beata Olsson.
Subs: Faye Kirby, Lucy Parry, Marie Höbinger, Sara Agrež, Alice Bergström, Mao Itamura, Mari Ward, Zara Shaw, Maizie Trueman.
Arsenal starting line-up: Misa Rodríguez, Emily Fox, Leah Williamson, Steph Catley, Taylor Hinds; Kim Little (C), Georgia Stanway, Lisa Baum; Olivia Smith, Caitlin Foord, Alessia Russo.
Subs: Daphne van Domselaar, Anneke Borbe, Lotte Wubben-Moy, Élisa De Almeida, Smilla Holmberg, Kyra Cooney-Cross, Géraldine Reuteler, Frida Maanum, Mia Dixon.
Preamble
Hello and welcome to coverage of Liverpool v Arsenal in the Women’s Super League. Both teams are in desperate need of a win as they look to climb up the WSL table, with the Reds in 11th and the Gunners in eighth.
Liverpool come into this game having not managed a league win since September 27 – and last weekend’s heavy 4-1 loss to West Ham will be on their minds.
Meanwhile, following a poor start to the season, the Gunners enjoyed two successive wins against Tottenham and Benfica but saw their form drop once more in a 1-1 draw against Aston Villa. Renée Slegers now finds herself under increasing pressure, meaning a win today is vital.
Kick-off is at 12pm GMT – join me!