Arsenal chase their first win since August as north London derby arrives
Arsenal have scored five goals in six Women's Super League games this season, and they have not won since their opening-day victory at Brighton. They travel to Tottenham on Saturday 24 October for the first north London derby of the league season, with a chance to end that run.
The Women's Super League is England's top women's football division. The match is at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with kick-off at 12.45pm UK time. Tottenham Hotspur say it will be shown live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.
Arsenal's main problem is finishing. They have hit the woodwork five times, more than any other side in the league. They have also had 283 touches in the opposition box, the joint-most in the division, and created 93 chances, the third-highest total. Their shot conversion rate, the share of shots that become goals, is 5.9%, the lowest in the WSL. Leaders Manchester City are at 16.7%, according to BBC Sport.
The results have been hard to take. Arsenal drew at home with Birmingham and Crystal Palace, and lost to Chelsea and Manchester City. They sit eighth, level on points with West Ham, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace, and nine points short of a Champions League place. Manager Renee Slegers has also rarely had the same forward line available. Her front four have started together just once in all competitions this season. Midfielder Mariona Caldentey is out for up to 10 weeks with a hamstring injury.
Tottenham have their own problems at the back. They conceded 12 goals in their last two matches, losing 6-1 to London City Lionesses and 6-2 to Chelsea. Earlier in the season they had won 7-0 at Crystal Palace and 4-0 at Aston Villa, and they took 10 points from their first four games while conceding only two. Manager Martin Ho has been in charge since the start of last season. Signe Gaupset, Olivia Holdt and Kirsty Hanson have each scored at least two league goals this season.
History favours Arsenal. Tottenham have one win in 13 WSL meetings with them. Last season the sides drew 0-0 at Tottenham's ground. In March, Arsenal beat Tottenham 5-2 at the Emirates, with a hat-trick from Alessia Russo.
What makes this one interesting is the contrast. Arsenal are creating plenty of openings but not turning them into goals. Tottenham are scoring freely at times but have been leaking goals at the other end. A derby can change a season's mood in a single afternoon, and both sides know a win would give their fans something to cheer after a stop-start autumn.
