Match Summary: A frustrating afternoon at times for Arsenal at the Emirates. A strong showing for much of the first half, and an emphatic early goal rendered Arsenal confident and in-control. But two sucker-punch goals either side of the break put the Gunners on the back foot, before Beth Mead stepped up with a timely equaliser. Plenty to work on, but equally lots of positives to be taken from this opening-day affair. 

Player ratings:

Manu Zinsberger. 6.5/10. Didn’t put a consequential foot wrong all day. Was unlucky to be caught out by a jammy deflection and a worldie in equal measure, and looked to be positive in her distribution. A harsh critic might want her to be more accurate in her longer-range passing. 

Emily Fox. 6.5/10. Plenty of ball-time, and incredibly reliable as an outlet in beating the City press when initiating Arsenal counters. Equally impressive defensively when called on to help quell Shaw’s attacking threat. 

Lotte Wubben-Moy. 7/10. An under-the-radar job. The highest compliment that can be paid is that City’s famously dangerous and newly-bolstered frontline didn’t have much joy, with their goals having to come from lucky knicks and twenty-yard screamers. There was plenty to deal with down her side all afternoon, and she was more than up-to the challenge.

Laia Codina. 7/10. Plenty of well-won headers, always available to Zinsberger in playing out, and consistently made sensible decisions when thinking short vs long. 

Mariona Caldentey. 6.5/10. Constantly looked to unlock City’s back four, and had plenty of success in doing so in the first-half. A much more muted display in the second forty-five.

Kim Little. 6.5/10. Again, a tale of two halves for me. Arsenal clearly won the first-half midfield battle, and Little was integral to considered and successful approach play in getting through City’s lines. As a team, Arsenal seemed to lose some confidence and execution in this regard in the second half, and Little didn’t seem to receive play very much amongst this more muted display.

Katie McCabe. 8/10. Water covers 70% of the Earth, Katie McCabe covers the rest (even when she’s not meant to). Block after block, and so assured on the ball when looking to launchpad Arsenal out of the defensive third. Occasionally, her decision-making leaves a little to be desired, but today’s performance was an excellent response to a tricky night mid-week. Vital in Arsenal’s equaliser.

Frida Maanum. 7/10. Emphatic finish for Arsenal’s opener. Connection and understanding with Blackstenius plain for all to see. A justified selection, but will likely rue not bagging more than a single goal in this one. 

Caitlin Foord. 6/10. A central fixture in Arsenal’s on-the-ball play, but not quite able to influence the game as I’m sure she would’ve hoped. Hooked off relatively early to make way for Eidevall’s attacking changes. 

Stina Blackstenius. 6.5/10. Caused the city defence all kinds of trouble in forcing them to run back toward their own goal, but was profligate at times in front of the keeper. Could’ve (and maybe should’ve) had two or three on the day.

Kyra Cooney-Cross. 7/10. Metronomic midfield play at times. Unafraid to look to switch, often kickstarting Arsenal attacks in doing so. An assured performance from a young, but increasingly important member of this team. 

(Sub, Beth Mead 7/10. 63’ (for Foord). Death, Taxes, and Beth Mead. The Emirates crowd were absolutely delighted with her introduction at the sixty-third minute mark, and she popped up with a goal at the most vital of times. )

(Sub, Russo 6/10. 63’. (for Blackstenius). A clear and deserved fan favourite. Her arrival alongside Beth Mead seemed to rattle City’s defensive psyche.)

(Sub, Kafaji 74’ (for Maanum). Breathed new life into the side when she came on, making darting runs in behding the City backline, one of which led to our equalising goal via a near-post deflection. )

(Sub, Walti 74’ (for Cooney-Cross). 

Subs not used: van Domselaar, Reid, Wienroither, Kuhl, Godfrey.