WSL preview: Albion face Arsenal in front of sell-out crowd

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Melissa Phillips's team sit eighth in the WSL heading into Sunday's match.

Charlie Hanson

2023-11-18T06:00:00Z

Pauline Bremer and Tatiana Pinto celebrate the win at Manchester City last weekend.

Our women’s team will look to back up their win over Manchester City when they take on Arsenal on Sunday, kick-off 2pm.

How to follow the game

Sunday’s game at the Broadfield Stadium is live on Sky Sports.

Supporters can also keep up to date via our social media channels and the live match centre.

Views from the coach

Speaking ahead of Sunday's game against the Gunners, Melissa Phillips said, "Arsenal have a Champions League built squad and they have a lot of strength coming off the bench in late moments. We know that we will have to manage those threats and take our chances and be even better with the ball.

"City was a club that we had never beaten before, so we just have to focus on the things that made us successful in that performances, to recreate those and take them to the next level.

"We have very clear growth areas after each game that we look at in training. It was a really intense and focused week and this weekend will require the same against Arsenal."

Player to watch

Katie McCabe has scored three WSL goals so far this campaign.

Katie McCabe was crowned Arsenal’s Player of the Season for the 2022/23 campaign, as they finished third in the WSL and also won the League Cup.

The Republic of Ireland international has three goals and an assist to her name so far this campaign, helping her team to four consecutive league wins.

Previous meetings

Albion lost all three meetings with Arsenal last season, including a 4-0 loss at the Broadfield Stadium in May.

At the start of the campaign we went down 4-0 to Arsenal at Meadow Park after Emma Kullberg was sent off in the early stages.

Albion have lost all 10 of their Women’s Super League matches against Arsenal. Only Everton versus Man City (14 games, 14 defeats) have played more times against an opponent without picking up a point.

Stats and facts

Arsenal have won all five of their away WSL games against Brighton without conceding a single goal, while scoring 20 themselves. It’s the most a team has played away against another without conceding in WSL history.

Albion beat Manchester City last time out despite facing 29 more shots than they attempted themselves (6 to 35). Only one side has ever won a WSL game with a larger deficit in shots –Reading (4) vs Chelsea (34) in December 2021 (-30).

Arsenal defeated Leicester 6-2 in their last WSL match, despite trailing 2-0 at half-time. It was the fourth instance of a team scoring six goals in the second half of a WSL match, with Arsenal also doing so against Bristol City in December 2019.

Brighton are looking to win consecutive WSL matches for the first time since March 2022 – they have played 33 league games in between that run and their win last week.

After going four games without a league win (D1 L3), Arsenal have since won four on the bounce in the WSL, last going on a longer winning run between March and November in 2022 (14).

Arsenal’s Beth Mead has been involved in 11 goals in her nine WSL appearances against Brighton and Hove Albion (7 goals, 4 assists), including seven in her last four against the Seagulls (4 goals, 3 assists).

Only Aston Villa (9) have dropped more points from winning positions in the WSL this season than Brighton (8), while Arsenal have won the most points from losing positions (7).

Arsenal have conceded at least one goal in nine consecutive WSL matches for the first time since June 2013 – they have never failed to keep a clean sheet in 10 consecutive outings in the competition.

Elisabeth Terland has scored five goals for Brighton in the WSL this season, with no other teammate scoring more than once. Terland has scored in each of her last two home games, against Tottenham and Manchester United.

Match officials

Referee: Tim Robinson

Assistants: Nicoleta Bria and Laura van Lier

Fourth official: Lauren Impey