By OkayGoal
Arsenal head to Anfield for Sunday’s WSL lunchtime game against Liverpool (12:00 UK time, live on Sky Sports) with six first team players unavailable, while Gareth Taylor is still waiting on Ceri Holland as the Reds deal with a lengthy injury list of their own.
Renée Slegers has named the same squad that drew 1-1 with Aston Villa at home last weekend, a result that halted a brief recovery after wins over Tottenham and Benfica. The Arsenal head coach has had a full week of training to work with before a demanding run that includes a Champions League trip to Barcelona and a home league meeting with London City Lionesses.
Arsenal injury list
According to the Arseblog News team news round-up, goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar is still out with a knee problem, although the Dutch international did get 45 minutes under her belt for the Under-21s this week. Mariona Caldentey and Chloe Kelly are both sidelined with hamstring injuries, Michelle Agyemang and Selina Cerci are dealing with knee issues, and Katie Reid is missing with an ankle injury.
The available group still has plenty of experience. Kim Little, back among the substitutes for the past two matches after a spell out with illness and injury, is in the squad along with Georgia Stanway and Kyra Cooney-Cross in midfield. Up front, Slegers can choose from Alessia Russo, Stina Blackstenius, Caitlin Foord and Olivia Smith, while Leah Williamson, Lotte Wubben-Moy and Steph Catley are among the defensive options.
Slegers: “I take full responsibility”
Arsenal have conceded first in five of their eight WSL matches this season, and Slegers was open about the issue after the Villa draw, saying “it feels like we are playing the same game over and over.”
Speaking before the trip to Merseyside, she accepted the job of fixing it sits with her. “There’s motivation and ambition to do better and turn this around among the staff and players, but I take full responsibility for the environment that we need to create,” she said.
She added that training had gone well over the last week. “I believe what we need is there. We just have to make sure it comes out and expresses itself on the pitch, which is my job.”
Liverpool still without Holland
On the home side, Taylor told his pre-match press conference that there were no new concerns, as covered on the official Liverpool FC website. Wales midfielder Ceri Holland is getting closer but is not ready for this one. “Hopefully we can get her back onto the pitch next week,” Taylor said, before admitting that “that’s going to be tight between now and the next international break.”
Anna Josendal, Sophie Román Haug and Aurélie Csillag face longer spells on the sidelines. “No other real issues, we should be pretty similar to what we were at West Ham,” the Liverpool boss said, pointing to Mari Ward and Lucy Parry building up their minutes. Viv Endemann and Mao Itamura are both working their way back after time out, with Taylor saying another week of training gets Itamura “a little bit closer to being really selectable.”
Liverpool were beaten 4-1 at West Ham last weekend and have not won in the league since a 2-0 victory over Everton at Anfield on 27 September. This is their second WSL fixture at the stadium this season.
More Arsenal and Liverpool coverage on SheKicks: Alessia Russo hat-trick sends Arsenal past Benfica 3-0 in the Champions League and Olivia Smith rescues point as Arsenal are held by Birmingham City in WSL.
