Women's Super League Match Preview: Manchester United vs Arsenal - Anticipated Results, Previous Encounters, Key Players to Eye
Arsenal and Manchester United Set to Clash in Crucial Women's Super League Match
This Sunday, two of the Women's Super League's (WSL) top teams will go head-to-head as Arsenal take on Manchester United. Both sides are eager to maintain their strong starts to the season, with United currently leading the table and Arsenal just behind them on goal difference.
In recent history, Arsenal have had the upper hand against United, winning two of their last three games against them (D1), as many as they did in their previous eight meetings (W2 D2 L4). However, United have failed to win any of their last four WSL meetings with Arsenal (D2 L2), since a 1-0 home win in April 2023.
This match could set a precedent in the title race, with both teams looking to keep pace with champions Chelsea and surprise package Tottenham. If Arsenal win again after going 1-0 down, they would become the first team in WSL history to be losing in three consecutive games before coming back to win all of them.
Manchester United have already broken their previous records for goal tally after two games of a WSL season, with their current total being nine goals. Their star player, Melvine Malard, has matched last season's goal haul in her two starts this term. She has scored with all four of her shots on target so far, netting her haul from chances worth 1.7 expected goals (overperformance of 2.3). Malard is the sixth player to score at least twice in both of a team's opening two games of a WSL season, though none have ever done so in a side's first three matches.
Arsenal, under manager Renee Slegers, have been impressive this season. They average 3.4 goals per game, the best rate of any manager in the competition's history. Arsenal have only faced 1.1 expected goals against (xGA) across the first two matchdays, also conceding just nine shots, with both of those totals the lowest in the league so far.
Arsenal's Alessia Russo could become the fifth-fastest player to reach a half-century of strikes in the Women's Super League, with only Vivianne Miedema, Khadija Shaw, Sam Kerr, and Fran Kirby doing so quicker. Russo has already netted two goals this term, getting both late on in their dominant win over West Ham last time out.
The stakes are high for both teams, and it promises to be an exciting match. With both teams still unbeaten after their first three WSL matches, a draw occurring in 26.6% of the 10,000 pre-match simulations. However, United are given a 40% chance of maintaining their perfect start to the campaign, while Arsenal's hopes of preserving their same record sit at 33.4%.
This match could be a pivotal moment in the WSL season, and fans are eagerly awaiting the clash between these two top teams.
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