Arsenal Women 3-0 Everton Women: Match Report | WSL 2021/22

Arsenal Women traveled to Merseyside in order to face an Everton side who had bounced back from consecutive 4-0 losses with wins over Birmingham City and Reading. However, everyone knows how good Arsenal are, so the Toffees had some work in order to get a result. Read more about the match below.

STARTING XI’S

Arsenal’s starting 11: Zinsberger, McCabe, Wubben-Moy, Williamson, Maritz, Mannum, Little, Iwabuchi, Heath, Miedema, Parris

Everton’s starting 11: MacIver, Turner, George, Sevecke, Maier, Christensen, Galli, Bennison, Dali, Duggan, Anvegard

ARSENAL

The Gunners were looking to continue a Women’s Super League (WSL) unbeaten streak which stretches all the way back to a 3-0 loss against Chelsea in February. Arsenal have amazing depth, so despite a midweek game against Barcelona, energy levels weren’t a problem. Jonas Eidevall has made 4 changes from the loss to Barca, with Jen Beattie and Lia Wälti both being out of the squads, but it’s nothing serious. However, Steph Catley and Beth Mead are on the bench, with Steph being replaced by Katie McCabe at left back. Arsenal were ready to bounce back from the Barcelona defeat, with Jonas Eidevall saying, “I learned that we have a team that never gives up, it was a very tough game and we probably couldn’t have played a better team..

EVERTON

Everton were looking to make it three WSL wins in a row, after a 3-1 win against Birmingham in late September and a 3-0 win against Reading to start off October. The Toffees started their season with consecutive 4-0 losses (as was mentioned earlier), but have bounced back, and will look to kick on, no matter today’s result. Only a single change for Willie Kirk’s side, with Hanna Bennison replacing Claire Emslie in the side. Valerie Gauvin remains on the bench, despite the side clearly needing her. Despite this being Willie Kirk’s preference, I think you have to start asking where practicality is more important.

FIRST HALF STARTS

Katie McCabe (1-0 to Arsenal)

Arsenal went 1-0 up with a wonderful goal from Katie McCabe which was struck from the edge of the box. The ball landed at McCabe’s feet, and after a perfect touch for a volley, she hit it over a stunned MacIver. A tough pill to swallow for Everton after it seemed that they were going to hold off the Gunners till half time.

Lotte Wubben-Moy (2-0 to Arsenal)

The scorer turned into the provider for Arsenal, with Katie McCabe scoring the first but racked up an assist for Wubben-Moy for this one. Lotte Wubben-Moy rose quickest from Katie McCabe’s corner, and after nutmegging the goalkeeper with it, it’s safe to say that the Gunners are 2-0 up.

HALF TIME

It was a fabulous first half for Arsenal, with the Gunners scoring 2 and looking calm and collected at the back in defence and how they’ve always looked in attack. They controlled the match, with Reading barely able to get a shot on target, and Jonas Eidevall will be very happy with his side for that, A not so great half for Everton however, with the Toffees doing everything that Reading did poorly against them. They’ve let Arsenal have a few shots, their attack has been dreadful and their team hasn’t been great in general, so overall, it’s been a mess of a match for Everton.

SECOND HALF STARTS

Frida Maanum (3-0 to Arsenal)

Arsenal got a third just before full time, with Frida Maanum entering the competition with Katie McCabe for the goal of the match! It was an assurance goal for Arsenal, with Everton showing no threat in the second half whatsoever. It is Frida Maanum ‘s first WSL goal however, and puts her 2 in 2 after scoring against Barcelona.

FULL TIME

And after that it was full time. My key player going into the match was Katie McCabe, and my key player for Everton was Valerie Gauvin, but with Everton not starting her, it was clear what the result would be. A win here combined with a Spurs loss against Brighton means that Arsenal are now the only team with a perfect record, and considering that we’re going into the 2nd quarter of the season now (their next match against a top three team is 8 WSL weeks away), you really have to wonder if anybody is stopping them now.