WSL talking points: Chelsea Women on the brink of history as Arsenal Women take on an improved Tottenham Women in the north London derby | Football News

A new type of pressure emerges for Man City

Man City vs Man Utd, Saturday, 1:30 p.m.

Something in the air changes when you’re top of the table and after Chelsea’s draw at Arsenal last weekend, Man City went from being chasers to being chased.

Now we find out just how serious their title credentials are with the pressure already mounting and as they face in the final their realistic competitors for the league crown, as well as their cross-town rivals and the team with the second tightest defense in the division.

But collectively, Man City’s forwards have found the net 15 times this season, at least six more than any other team’s attacking unit.

Andree Jeglertz’s style is less about pretty football – City’s dominance in the past – and more about results. City still play a possession-based style, but they focus less on crushing opposing teams into oblivion.

They are down in every measure of success this season compared to last. Average possession, open play streak time, and passing frequency all dropped. And yet City are more fluid, comfortable winning the ball back in deeper areas and attacking with pace.

“We’re going to miss passes, but we’re getting the ball back,” Jeglertz told his team at half-time as they trailed Everton last week. They won the match 2-1 with goals scored by Viv Miedema and Bunny Shaw. A predictable pair. City’s frontline is in turmoil, and even if they continue to operate in this manner, they are a formidable prospect.

However, Marc Skinner’s side have taken points from Chelsea and Arsenal this season. If they can overcome this latest test, the feeling that this could be the year the WSL trophy leaves west London will really start to grow.

Skinner could do without a must-win game immediately after an embarrassing home defeat to Aston Villa last weekend, because if they left empty-handed they would find themselves seven points off the top of the table. Not insurmountable, but close.

A morale-boosting win against PSG in midweek set them up well, but that’s a whole different ball game.

History beckons to Chelsea

Liverpool vs Chelsea, Sunday, 12 p.m., live on Sky Sports Premier League

Chelsea stand on the precipice of history. If they win or draw this weekend, they will set a new WSL match unbeaten record – 34, breaking their own previous run of 33 league matches unbeaten.

Sonia Bompastor said Aerial sports last week’s race isn’t even on his radar, but it will be an incredible feat nonetheless. Chelsea are a winning machine, even if there is still one game to go first.

Add to that captain Millie Bright can break the WSL appearance record with her 211th league appearance. The word “legend” is thrown around a lot, but it certainly applies to the Blues captain. She also remains a consistent player for Chelsea.

Liverpool will be boosted by their first WSL point last weekend. Gareth Taylor has also been a thorn in Chelsea’s side: he has been manager in two of their last four league defeats and was in charge the last time the Blues failed to score in a WSL match.

Sure, it was with Man City, but Taylor has the know-how to beat Chelsea – not many do. Whether his players can execute the plan is another story, with the Blues looking unstoppable.

Sunday November 16 11:00 a.m.

Kick-off at 12:00 p.m.

Spurs look good – but Ho has yet to prove they can mix with the best

Tottenham vs Arsenal, Sunday, 2:30 p.m., live on Sky Sports Premier League

It’s rare for Arsenal to find themselves level on points with Tottenham ahead of a north London derby. Sunday’s hosts have a miserable record against their rivals, having won just one of 11 meetings. Last season, the Gunners won this match 3-0.

But times are changing. Spurs’ spark has been reignited by new boss Martin Ho and his all-action style of football. They have won three out of four at home and have actually recorded more wins in total (five) than Arsenal have managed this season – just five points short of their points total for last season. Things are getting better.

The Spurs play fast and direct. In many ways this is the antithesis of Arsenal’s approach, which is far more methodical and complex. Both can work provided the shoe is right, but it’s this clash of styles that makes this meeting at this particular stage interesting.

75 percent of Spurs’ total goals conceded in the WSL this season have been in just two games. They shipped five alone to Manchester City. And here is the crucial point. Ho’s team won all five of their matches against teams in the bottom half of the table, but lost all three of their meetings against teams in the top half.

It’s a stark comparison, and it’s Ho’s biggest challenge if he wants to transform what was previously a middling team into something much bigger.

Sunday November 16 at 2:15 p.m.

Kick-off at 2:30 p.m.

Back to work for Aston Villa

Aston Villa vs London City Lionesses, Sunday, 12pm, live on Sky Sports Mix

After a shock, but not undeserved, win at Man Utd last weekend, it’s back to bread and butter for Aston Villa, but a game that will go further to determine which end of mid-table they finish with a match against one of the teams around them in London City.

Victory would put them above their opponents and into sixth place, and with a game in hand against fifth-placed Tottenham, would put them in a strong position to mount a charge to topple Spurs as well.

They might, however, have an easier draw than their opponents on Sunday, who have a perfect record against anyone not in last season’s top four.

Jocelyn Precheur’s side boast the second-slowest defense in the division and against the fourth-lowest scorers, which of them is best set will have a big say in who wins.

Sunday November 16 11:00 a.m.

Kick-off at 12:00 p.m.

Leicester hope to end poor away run

Brighton vs Leicester, Sunday, 12 p.m., live on Sky Sports+

Despite pre-season turmoil, Leicester have stabilized somewhat under the management of Rick Passmore. The next area of ​​improvement is their away form.

The Foxes are winless in their last 20 WSL away matches (D7 L13) and could achieve the longest away winless streak in the competition’s history this weekend – they are currently tied with Yeovil Town.

And Brighton are strong at home. The Seagulls have lost just one of their last five WSL games on their own patch (W3 D1) – although that defeat came in their most recent, which was a 3-2 defeat to Man Utd.

The match will be played at the Amex Stadium as Brighton look to boost their own season, which is failing to reach the same heights as in recent years.

Can West Ham follow up on their opening point?

West Ham vs Everton, Sunday, 12 p.m., live on Sky Sports+

In the eighth match of the WSL season, West Ham finally scored their first point of the campaign against Leicester. They also beat Southampton 5-0 in the midweek League Cup match to give them another boost of confidence.

A home game against Everton could also be the perfect time to score more points. The Hammers were strong at Victoria Road last year and have won three of their last four WSL home games against Everton (L1), keeping a clean sheet in four of their last five.

The Toffees themselves are not out of relegation reach, having not won since the opening day of the season at Liverpool, and are in need of points. It will be interesting to see if either can gain the advantage.