Match Preview: Arsenal vs London City Lionesses
- Isla Smith
- Feb 8
- 3 min read
Arsenal and London City Lionesses come face to face this weekend, on Sunday, in the fifth round of the FA cup.
Arsenal currently sit third in the Women’s Super League with 27 points, 3 points off second place Manchester United and 10 points off league leaders, Chelsea.
London City Lionesses however, sit second in the Women’s Championship, just one point behind Birmingham City with a game in hand.
The hosts have won three of their last five games, with the team dropping points against Chelsea in the WSL and losing to Manchester City midweek in the Subway Cup. Whereas the visitors have gone five in five, scoring 15 goals and conceding just three along the way.
Last time out:
The last time the teams met was in February 2024 in the quarter finals of the League Cup where Arsenal won 4-0 at Princes Park. Since then both teams have donned new managers and had an influx of new players as well as the departures of many more.
For Arsenal, one key departure was Cloe Lacasse. The forward scored a brace in the match, but with her departure over the summer, the team will be looking towards different players to get in on the scoring.
Paige Culver’s maturity in the back line was evident from the moment the whistle blew, with her calmness and block making abilities proving this. Since then, the defender has retired from the game due to injury, with Culver choosing to return to Canada to rehabilitate away from football.
Ones to watch:
Another goal scorer from last season's London Derby was Alessia Russo. Scoring is no foreign object to the striker, with her netting twelve goals in the league last season and being the top goal scorer for the England Lionesses in the year of 2024.
The Englishwoman was in top form in December 2024, scoring six goals across a four game period but has since struggled to score, only finding the back of the net once in her last five games.
One of London City's January signings, Saki Kumagai brings a wealth of experience to the blue army, including five champions leagues and a gold medal at the 2011 World Cup.
The signing of the Japanese international shocked the world of women’s football as she was getting regular minutes at Roma and seemed to have no reason to step away from top flight football.
One youngster that has been given the look in by Arsenal this season is Katie Reid. The 18-year-old made her senior debut against Bristol City in the WSL, replacing Leah Williamson in the closing stages of the match and was recently given her first start for the club, also against Bristol City, in the FA cup.
With international break and a busy March period coming up for the gunners, this match would be ideal to rotate the squad as well as give the defender some more first team minutes.
Emma Mukandi spent seven years in the red side of London before making the move to Reading FC and then London City Lionesses in the summer of 2023. The Scottish left back could be making her return to the field at Meadow Park this Sunday so is bound to be one to keep your eyes on.
Arsenal's deadline day signing, Chloe Kelly could be making her second debut for the club this weekend, after returning to the club on loan from Manchester City seven years after her departure.
After struggling for game time in Manchester, the England international left the club on loan in hopes to gain minutes before the European Championship this summer.
After spending a large part of her youth at Chelsea, Emily Orman joined the lionesses on a permanent transfer in the summer of 2024 and instantly became Jocelyn Prêcheur’s first choice goalkeeper. With seven clean sheets this season, the 22-year-old earned herself a call up to the England u23’s most recent squad in November.
Where to watch:
Sunday’s London Derby will be shown on YouTube and the FA player with kick off at 2pm.
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