Arsenal made it a winning return to Meadow Park with a 2-1 victory over League leaders Man City. Steph Catley’s early sizzler was cancelled out by Chloe Kelly’s close-range finish, before Khiara Keating’s misjudgement of a Katie McCabe long ball was punished by Stina Blackstenius.
It was the clash of two teams who have experience very contrasting starts to the season. Visitors Man City arrived unbeaten in the first four matches, with 3 wins and an unlucky draw against Chelsea. For Arsenal, it’s been slow and sluggish. European failure was compounded by an opening day defeat to Liverpool. But a hard-fought point away at Man United has been built upon with back-to-back triumphs, albeit against the bottom two sides in the WSL. Man City would represent a much sterner test of their credentials.
That being said, Man City have a wretched record at Meadow Park. Since 2016, they’ve only managed one WSL win at Arsenal, in 2021 during the lockdown season, where their intensity in pressing and possession blew Arsenal away. That aside, it’s been ‘nil point’. Last season, it was the only Top 4 fixture Arsenal won, though it took a worldie from Katie McCabe to claim all 3 points. It was a game that exhibited the best and worst of Man City. Strong possession, plenty of territory, but a lack of cutting edge to take advantage of their periods of dominance. Based on this game, it is an issue still prevalent within his side.
With Alex Greenwood ruled out following her head injury with England, Aleixandri shifted over to centre back, with Ouahabi taking up the vacated left back slot. There was a change in attack too, with Hemp coming in for Angeldahl, allowing Gareth Taylor line up his preffered Hemp-Shaw-Kelly front 3, with Fowler operating in behind. Arsenal had some changes in attack and defence of their own. In a curious twist Maritz, their only fit recognised right back, was dropped in favour of McCabe, with Lacasse lining up in the attack. Codina, who had a mixed game against Bristol City, was swapped out for Ilestedt. It was also a surprise to see both Foord and Catley start, given the extra workload the Matildas had during the international break and their late return to the squad.
Within the first 5 minutes, the core principles Gareth Taylor’s football was laid bare. A cross from Kelly found Shaw, but her effort was wide. Arsenal tried to play out from the resulting goal kick, but the intense press from Man City forced them back. Lotte’s attempted clearance was blocked to create a turnover on the edge of their own box, but Hemp took too long to get the shot off, and the Arsenal’s defence managed to crowd her out and force the corner. Taylor’s philosophy allows for his side to control games, but there is little imagination beyond looking for one of his front 3 to score once a position of threat has been established. As the half progressed, Arsenal worked this out, with Lotte and Ilestedt quick to close down Shaw whenever Man City looked for her. When she did finally have an effort on goal, it was tame and straight at Manu Zinsberger.
The lack of threat Man City were posing wasn’t a problem for them whilst they retained a measure of control over proceedings. It became a major problem for them however, when Hemp made a wild challenge on Katie McCabe. The resulting set piece from deep was flicked on by Lacasse, and under pressure from Russo, Keating rushed her clearance straight at Pelova. Suddenly, Arsenal had an attacking platform for the first time in the half, and they capitalised with brutal efficiency. Pelova played it to Foord, who pinned her defender, laid it off to Catley, who side-footed the ball into the top corner, sending the North Bank crowd wild with joy.
Caltey’s goal created a seismic shift in momentum. Suddenly, it was Arsenal in the driver’s seat, with Pelova and Walti wrestling control of the midfield out of Hasagawa and Roord’s grasp. In attack, Lacasse and Russo pressed the defence hard, forcing the ball back to Keating, who was looking suspect with her distribution.
Man City were rocked, and just 3 minutes after conceding, they cracked. Morgan’s back-pass was undercooked, Lacasse saw her chance, and Keating was too slow to react. Her lunge for the ball was late, bringing down the Canadian winger, and the referee had little option but to point to the spot. Up stepped the ever reliable Kim Little to double Arsenal’s lead, only for Keating to redeem herself with a brilliant save, guessing the right way and tipping the spot kick onto the post and away. It was only Little’s 5th spot kick miss in the WSL, but it had come at the most inopportune of moments. Arsenal had missed the chance to knock Man City to the floor, and whilst they were still in control, Man City were able to regroup enough defensively to nullify their attack.
A fine stop from Khiara to deny Little's penalty! 🙌
🔴 1-0 🩵 #ManCity pic.twitter.com/RkqJ16kLKp
— Man City Women (@ManCityWomen) November 5, 2023
Foord and McCabe both had long range efforts easily saved, but Arsenal never truly cut open Man City again in the half. And as the half time approached, Man City started to go close themselves. Roord, on her first game back at Meadow Park since leaving Arsenal, had a drive that Manu managed to tip away at full stretch. Kelly got to the rebound first, and her looping cross found Hemp at the back post, only for her header to bounce off the top of the bar, with Ilestedt well positioned to hack the ball away.
For the first time in the WSL this season, Arsenal made it to the break with a lead. And it was a lead warranted, having taken control of proceedings after a shaky opening 10 minutes. But the Kim Little penalty miss had left the door open for Man City, and the second half was spent by them trying to take advantage of that lifeline. Within the first 60 seconds, an attempt by Lotte to win the ball high up failed, and Man City suddenly had a route in behind a defence now short of numbers. Roord sent Kelly clear, but from the angle, she drove the effort wide. It was a warning shot across the bows, and an insight of what was to come. The halftime break had allowed Man City to reset and take command once more, though once more, their finishing was lacking. Shaw found the side netting and shot wide as Man City turned the screw back onto Arsenal. Her best chance came when Hemp picked her out at the back post, only to see her header crash off the upright. For Arsenal, they were limited to counter-attacks, but were struggling to find a away through Man City’s retreating defence. Russo and Lacasse, so effective in the press in the first half, saw their influence wane as their legs went. A change in attack was needed, and it came in the shape of Beth Mead in place of Cloe Lacasse, with Frida replacing Pelova in the midfield. Meanwhile, Gareth Taylor sent on Casparij and Blakstad for Morgan and Ouahabi.
The changes gave Arsenal a brief injection of energy, and for a while, they were able to push back against the Man City tide. But Man City simply absorbed the flurry, and countered back with more suffocating pressure. Arsenal sank deeper and deeper, heading crosses clear and launching clearances back to blue shirts. A sense of crescendo was building, until at last, they caved. Hemp managed to burst to the byline, cut the ball back, only for Blakstadat to see her effort superbly blocked by Walti. But Frida failed to clear the ball, seeing it deflect back into Shaw in the box. With the defence now flat-footed, she laid it across to Kelly to smash home a deservedly draw Man City level.
Our patience and persistence pays off! 🙌
Watch the last 15 minutes on BBC Two now! 📺
🔴 1-1 🩵 #ManCity pic.twitter.com/2LZh47hzNZ
— Man City Women (@ManCityWomen) November 5, 2023
The equaliser signalled a further change from Jonas, sending Blackstenius on for Russo, who had long since faded from the game. Jonas had spoken of the idea of starters and finishers, the idea of bringing on fresh forwards with 15-20 minutes left to overpower tiring defences. Now was the time to put this theory into action, with Beth Mead and Stina now on to try and find a winner for Arsenal. It didn’t look likely. Man City still were in command, and Arsenal’s decision to constantly long appeared fruitless. But, just as last season, just as in the first half, despite all the control, the territory and possession, and despite having just scored the equaliser, Man City did not threaten Arsenal. The endless cycle of poession and movement looked great on the eye, and kept Arsenal pinned back, but it had no effect on the scoreboard. Just as Arsenal’s penalty miss gifted a route back into the game for Man City, so too did Man City’s ineptitude in attack gift a route back for Arsenal. And when it did happen, it came in disastrous circumstances.
Despite only being 19, Khiara Keating has quickly established herself as Man City’s Number 1, ahead of Ellie Roebuck and Sandy MacIver, with some impressive performances in goal. In the 1-1 draw against Chelsea, she was able to keep Emma Hayes’ attacking juggernauts at bay with a string of superb saves, ensuring Man City left the game with a point, despite the loss of two players to red cards. Such has been her rise that she was even called up to England squad for the Belgium double-header (though did not play). She is a keeper for the future, raw but talented. However, if she was the hero against Chelsea, sadly, she was the villain here.
With Man City pushing on for a winner, they committed more and more players forward. A period of sustained pressure was ended when a Katie McCabe clearance finally cleared the high defensive line and into the open space in the Man City half. Stina pursued what should have been a lost cause as Keating came out to sweep, only for the ball to bounce straight over her head and gift the Arsenal sub an open goal that she gleefully tucked away for a very late winner.
Late drama from @sblackstenius 😍
Fast Forward | Arsenal 2-1 Man City ⏩️
— Arsenal Women (@ArsenalWFC) November 7, 2023
And despite 10 minutes of stoppage time (which was extended further following a medical emergency in the crowd), Man City could not muster a response. Mary Fowler had a drive from range that Manu did well to tip other, but that aside, Arsenal managed Man City out of the game.
The final whistle sealed 3 massive points for Arsenal, whose season is now truly back on track. For Man City, it was once again a performance of all bark, no bite, and a first defeat of the season. Despite a 61% swing in possession and long periods of dominance, they only managed 4 shots on target, 2 less than Arsenal. Though failing once again to keep a clean sheet, Arsenal’s defence stood up well to the intense scrutiny of the Man City front line.
Jonas avoided the temptation to revert to a back 3 and was rewarded with strong performances from Lotte (who won POTM) and Ilestedt, the pair of them now looking a stronger centre-back partnership than it did in the UWCL qualifiers. They were also indebted to a dominant performance from Zinsberger, who brushed off recent criticism with a strong aerial display, confidently claiming the majority of crosses sent in, denying Man City’s primary route to goal. Arsenal remain a work in progress, but with arguably their toughest Meadow Park game of the WSL season now out of the way, they can now look to build up some momentum in their title charge before their Emirates Stadium showdown against Chelsea next month.
These two at the back today 👏
Shot on @GoogleUK Pixel 🤳 pic.twitter.com/yhuDEeIHEp
— Arsenal Women (@ArsenalWFC) November 5, 2023
If Arsenal’s goalkeeper looked vastly improved, Man City’s was left looking suspect. The goals they conceded were all self-inflicted, and all stemmed from mistakes from their young keeper. Her poor clearance straight to Pelova led to the opener, her rash lunge conceded the penalty (which she did save brilliantly), and her misjudgement of the long ball gifted Stina the chance to win the game for Arsenal. At full time, Keating was inconsolable, surrounded by her teammates who did their best to console her. Football is a cruel, ruthless sport, and this match will have provided the harshest of educations in her young career. Keating is one for the future, and a very promising future at that. But in her present, she still has a lot to learn, and learn fast, if Man City are to be successful this season.
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