By Eloise Smallbone (31/10/25)
Above: Renée Slegers. Photo: Arsenal Women.
Arsenal return to WSL action this Sunday following a lacklustre start to the season.
Results have been mixed following their European triumph earlier this summer – a draw at home to Aston Villa and loss away at Manchester City the most troubling. Ahead of their trip to a Leicester City struggling for consistency, head coach Renée Slegers has encouraged her team to return to club focus following a dramatic international break.
Taking it game by game
The international break came after a block of games where Arsenal’s results had been inconsistent. Most recently they beat Benfica 2-0 in the Champions League and Brighton in the WSL. However, these wins were preceded by losses against Lyon and Manchester City, as well as draws with Aston Villa and Manchester United.
Slegers discussed this block, and how the team are looking to improve going into these games: “Football will never be perfect”, she said, “but the team want to show our strengths both as a team and in our game of football.”
She also discussed Arsenal’s five “challenging and exciting” games coming up in the next three weeks, adding that despite the pressure, they are looking forward to the challenge.
“It is very cliché, but we are going to take it game by game,” she said, adding that her team are “proud to represent Arsenal and we want to represent Arsenal at the very best. We see the bigger picture and understand our responsibility.”
Michelle Agyemang and squad availability
Speaking on squad availability, Slegers said:
“Leah is not available, Manu is not available – the rest are in the building and training at their level,” stating that excluding Leah Williamson and Manu Zinsberger, “everyone else is in contention for Sunday.”
Arsenal also announced earlier this week that Michelle Agyemang, one of the Lionesses’ key players in the Euros this summer, had suffered a ruptured anterior crucial ligament (ACL) whilst on international break. Agyemang is currently on loan at Brighton, and Slegers expressed her sadness for the young forward, particularly due to the timing of the injury:
“I haven’t seen Mich yet, so it’s of course a very sad time. When these moments happen it’s horrible because you know that it will keep them away from the game for a long time and it’s a long wait for the players to come back again.”
What to expect from Leicester
Slegers also discussed the challenges that Leicester will pose, hoping her Arsenal side will visit the King Power Stadium with both respect and belief:
“The WSL is a very strong league. If you look at Leicester’s results there is one goal difference, so it’s going to be a challenge,” she said of their opponenents. “They have a strong identity with their defending game, so we have to find the right opportunity to capitalise.”
Slegers also reflected that in previous games in the block, Arsenal have become comfortable and not finished the games with the right results, despite a strong start.
“When we’ve been in the middle of our momentum and flow states and things have felt easy for us, and as a result of that the goals have come easy for us as well,” she reflected, adding that “what becomes really important is how you start a game, how you finish a game and dealing with everything that comes in between.”
Arsenal Women take on Leicester City Women at the King Power Stadium at 12pm on Sunday 2nd November. The game will be shown on Sky Sports
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