Arsenal Women target a second Women's Super League victory of the season when they host Birmingham City at Emirates Stadium on Saturday. The Gunners have managed just one win in their opening five league games, leaving them 10th in the standings on five points, a full ten behind leaders Manchester City and having scored just four goals in 450 minutes of league football.

Injury concerns dominate the build-up. Mariona Caldentey is out for eight to ten weeks with a hamstring injury. Selina Cerci is also sidelined after a knee operation. "I had a knee operation and will be out 'for a while'," Cerci said. Chloe Kelly remains unavailable, while Daphne van Domselaar and Katie Reid are back in training but not ready for matchday selection. There is some positive news, as Olivia Smith is now "pain free" after dealing with unspecified issues.

Alessia Russo's scoring aim

Alessia Russo is determined to translate her international form to the domestic stage. The forward, who can operate as a nine or ten, netted three times for England against Greece during the recent break. She scored her first club goal of the season against Paris FC and also found the net against Manchester City. Russo had no goals or assists in her first five games across all competitions, but she is now aiming to spark Arsenal's league campaign. The team has scored only four goals in five WSL matches, with Lisa Baum the current top scorer with two.

Birmingham's threat

Birmingham City arrive in North London also seeking their first league win, having drawn two and lost three. Their main danger comes from Océane Hurtré, who is tied as the WSL's top scorer with five goals. Hurtré, who made her senior France debut and scored against Latvia in the break, will be confident after netting in the 1-1 draw between these sides last time out. That result, on 17 October, saw Olivia Smith equalise for Arsenal after Hurtré's opener.

Historical advantage

Arsenal hold a strong historical record in this fixture. They are unbeaten in their last 30 WSL games against newly promoted sides. Birmingham have lost their last six away WSL games against the Gunners, with their last point at Arsenal being a goalless draw in May 2016. The last meeting at this venue was a 3-0 Arsenal win in March 2022. This is the first league meeting since the 2021/22 season, when both sides won their home fixtures.

The match kicks off at 12:45pm at Emirates Stadium. For the latest team news, see the Arsenal injuries page.

First reported at vavel.com