Arsenal Women's unbeaten start to the Women's Super League season ended with a 1-0 defeat away to Chelsea. Alyssa Thompson's first-half goal at Stamford Bridge on Sunday proved decisive, leaving the Gunners seventh in the standings and seven points behind leaders Manchester City.
Thompson scored in the 39th minute, capitalising after Arsenal goalkeeper Anneke Borbe parried a powerful shot from Chelsea's Keira Walsh. Arsenal created chances to level but were twice denied by the woodwork. Captain Kim Little struck the post in the first half, and Mariona Caldentey did the same after the break, but an equaliser never arrived.
Slegers calls for calm
Head coach Renee Slegers, appointed in October 2024, urged her players to stay calm and keep things simple after the loss. She said she is not worried about the team's confidence, believing they have the quality within the squad to be ruthless in front of goal again. Slegers emphasised the need to take pressure off the players and trust them to rediscover their form, noting that confidence naturally fluctuates during a season.
The result leaves Arsenal Women with five points from four WSL matches, a record of one win, two draws and one loss. Their recent form shows two wins, two draws and one defeat from the last five games across all competitions. This defeat followed consecutive league draws against Manchester United and Crystal Palace, and a midweek Champions League trip to face Paris FC. The lack of a consistent cutting edge in the final third has become a theme in recent weeks.
Arsenal now face a critical test away at Manchester City next Sunday, a fixture detailed on the club's fixtures page. City currently sit top of the WSL, making this a key opportunity to close the gap. The Gunners will travel to Manchester on October 4th for that match, needing a result to reignite their campaign.
First reported at Daily Mail Sport
