Arsenal were defeated 4-2 by Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday in the WSL ([report here](https://arseblog.news/2026/10/report-manchester-city-4-2-arsenal-inc-goals/)). Lisa Baum gave Arsenal a 1-0 lead in the first half before Lauren Hemp equalised. Russo restored the lead early in the second half before goals from Casparij, Hemp and Shaw consigned Arsenal to another damaging defeat.
Renee Slegers spoke to the press post-match, the first two questions are from Arseblog News.
**On twice losing the lead in the game…**
“Yeah, that’s it. I think really good to get the lead in the first half. I think towards the end of the first half, we just needed to protect it.
“It’s a really vulnerable moment and that’s why we just have to shut it down. If it happens when Mariona is down, so one player down, let them play on. It’s not a head injury, so it is what it is.
“But in those moments, we just have to shut it down. In the second half, I think we scored a really good goal by pressing really aggressively. Lessi’s finish is really good.
“So the start of the second half is really good. So yeah, we had the lead twice. I think especially that one at the end of the first half is not what we wanted.
“Because if you score early and come in the lead early in the second half against City, like you said, we know that these games are tight and they have a lot of quality. But of course, after the 2-1, we wanted to control it better too. You saw both teams played a couple of days ago.
“I think you saw some fatigue in both teams coming in. So they made three changes, and I think they got immediate effect with the shot from the edge.
“And then they’re back in. And I think there was a lot of momentum shifts when it comes to football, but also momentum shifts when it comes to energy in the game. Especially in the second half.
“And I think after that, after the 3-2, it’s difficult for us. We go and try to put more pressure on. We changed the system, we go to two nines.
“But we don’t really create enough. And then they score that fourth goal when we give up some space. But yeah, that’s my summary of the game.
“We all said it afterwards. We have to be better in the critical moments in the game. And we were there, we had it, and then we didn’t have it.
“And that’s what it’s felt like now for a while for us.
**On whether she is considering her future…**
“All I know so far is that the last couple of days we’ve been together as a club with support, aligning on the direction. Of course, this result is disappointing. But I’m here, I’m full of energy.
“I care a lot for the club, for the players. And I see perspective. Of course, it’s good, I think, with the international break coming up.
“I think it’s good for the players. They change environments, they get some new energy, play their football elsewhere, and then come back in with new energy.”
**On why she thinks she’s the right person to continue …**
“First of all, it’s not about me anyway. Like I just said, I have the energy, I feel the connection. I think we’re going through a really difficult time, but we also see perspective and we look forward and we see solutions and we see the closeness. It’s not that we’re totally away from it or off it.
“It’s been consistently about margins. We have to work to get them on our side. I think we’re going to be really good. But of course, it’s been a long run without the results that we wanted. But like I said, it’s not about me.
“It’s about the club and I care for the club.”
**Is there an issue with slow starts despite early recruitment?**
“Yes, all these things, that’s what we’re going to do during the international window.
“There will be a big review of our season so far.”
**On substitutions …**
“Like I said, I think they get immediate effect when they make their changes. They changed their full-backs. Casparij gets the ball on the edge of the box, shoots and scores the goal. The clearest example of the effect that they get. We have a quality squad.
“We have starters. We’ve gotten more consistent with the starting team. We have players that can come on and change the game for us.
“It’s been a super strength and it needs to be our super strength. But that’s also one of our reflections, that we haven’t had the same effect as last season and this season before. It’s always been our strength.
“We’ve been scoring goals in the last 15 minutes of games and the last couple of games it hasn’t been the case.”
**The reaction of the fans at the end …**
“I mostly went there to thank them and connect with them and show them that I care for them and I appreciate them coming on to Manchester. I think there was two and a half thousand. Amazing.
“And also showing to them that I feel sorry for them because I’m of course a big part of it and things are within my control. But they’re coming here and they’re not getting the rewards, just like the team. So I just wanted to connect with them instead of walking away and hiding because I don’t know how they’re going to react with me.
“But I just wanted to tell them I thank them for being there for us.”
**On Mariona’s injury …**
“Yeah, they have assessed her now but I think it was her hamstring.
“And it didn’t look good, didn’t feel good. But what the exact timeline will be and the exact assessment will have to wait.”
**If Arsenal’s issue is one of mentality?**
“Football is a lot about mentality. I think in many ways it’s also a mental game. And that’s what it is for us and even more so for us at the moment. So I agree with you.
“But there’s of course other things as well, and it’s not only what you see on a match day. But when I say we’re going to have a look in the international break, ‘What’s everything else in the background?
“What we can look at? Training programme, everything. To make sure that we turn every stone to see how we can put the players in the best position to be performing on match day.”