Arsenal return to [Women’s Super League](https://womenfootball.blog/womens-super-league-table-standings/) action against Birmingham City on Saturday, 17 October 2026, looking to end a difficult run of league results. Renée Slegers’ side have collected just five points from their opening five matches and sit tenth in the standings, while newly promoted Birmingham are still searching for their first victory.
Both teams used the international break to assess their performances, but they enter this fixture with different challenges. Arsenal must find greater consistency and adapt to injuries in their attacking midfield, while Birmingham will attempt to build on their competitive displays against some of the WSL’s strongest sides.
* **Competition**: Barclays Women’s Super League 2026/27
* **Date**: Saturday, 17 October 2026
* **Kick-off**: 12:45pm BST (13:45 CEST)
* **Venue**: Emirates Stadium, London
The match will be broadcast live in the United Kingdom and Ireland on Sky Sports Mix and Sky Sports Premier League.
International broadcasting options include:
* United States: Paramount+
* Canada: Sportsnet
* Australia: Stan Sport
* Germany, Austria and Switzerland: Sportdigital
* Sweden: TV4 Play
* Norway: VG+
* Selected international territories: Barclays Women’s Super League YouTube channel
Availability on YouTube depends on regional broadcasting rights. Supporters should check the official [Barclays WSL YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/@BarclaysWSL/streams) for their location.
Arsenal will be without several important attacking players.
Mariona Caldentey suffered a hamstring injury against Manchester City and is expected to be sidelined for approximately eight to ten weeks. Slegers confirmed that the midfielder’s recovery is progressing positively, although she remains unavailable.
Selina Cerci is also out after undergoing knee surgery, while Chloe Kelly will not feature against Birmingham.
Mariona’s absence presents a particular challenge because of her versatility and influence on Arsenal’s midfield structure. Slegers highlighted the importance of finding the right balance between attacking creativity and defensive stability.
Kyra Cooney-Cross has returned, while Georgia Stanway offers another option in central areas. Slegers also spoke positively about Geraldine Reuteler, whose direct running and movement into the final third could provide an alternative attacking approach.
Olivia Smith is another player who could have a greater impact. After managing physical issues earlier in the season, she is now pain-free, and Slegers was encouraged by her performances for Canada during the international break.
Birmingham head coach Amy Merricks confirmed that her players returned from the international break fit and in good health.
The break provided an opportunity to review the club’s first five WSL matches, identify areas for improvement and prepare for the next phase of the season.
Merricks acknowledged the challenge of facing Arsenal away from home but believes Birmingham’s previous visits to Chelsea and Manchester City have given her players valuable experience.
The newly promoted side have shown that they can compete for periods against stronger opponents, although turning those performances into points remains their biggest challenge.
Arsenal have endured a disappointing opening to the 2026/27 WSL campaign. After five matches, they sit tenth with one victory, two draws and two defeats. They have scored four league goals and conceded six.
Their recent results underline the difficulty they have experienced:
* Manchester City 4-2 Arsenal (WSL)
* Paris FC 2-2 Arsenal (Women’s Champions League)
* Chelsea 1-0 Arsenal (WSL)
* Arsenal 1-0 HB Køge (Women’s Champions League)
* Arsenal 1-1 Manchester United (WSL)
Defeats against Chelsea and Manchester City have left Arsenal needing to regain momentum domestically.
Slegers acknowledged that results have fallen below expectations but remains encouraged by aspects of the team’s performances. The international break allowed her coaching staff to review their approach, with the immediate priority being to build on the team’s strengths.
The manager also wants Arsenal to play with greater urgency, particularly in attacking areas.
Birmingham sit 13th in the table with two points from five matches. They have drawn twice and lost three times, scoring seven goals and conceding 12.
Their recent results include:
* Everton 2-1 Birmingham City (WSL)
* Birmingham City 3-4 Liverpool (League Cup)
* Birmingham City 3-3 Crystal Palace (WSL)
* Everton 2-0 Birmingham City (League Cup)
* Chelsea 2-0 Birmingham City (WSL)
Although Birmingham have yet to win in the league, they have demonstrated attacking potential. Their 3-3 draw against Crystal Palace and narrow defeat to Everton showed that they can create opportunities, even if defensive consistency remains an issue.
Merricks believes her squad are adapting to the demands of the top division. She pointed to the experience gained from difficult away fixtures and the improvements she has observed from week to week.
The most important tactical question for Arsenal is how they replace Mariona’s influence without weakening their defensive structure.
Slegers views midfield as the connection between Arsenal’s attacking and defensive phases. Without Mariona, the positioning of Stanway, Cooney-Cross and the other midfield options will be important in determining how effectively Arsenal move the ball forward.
Arsenal will aim to establish possession in Birmingham’s half and create opportunities through combinations around the penalty area. However, they must also maintain sufficient defensive cover when attacking. Slegers specifically identified Birmingham’s speed on the counterattack and individual quality in central and wide areas as threats.
That creates an opportunity for Merricks’ side. If Birmingham can remain organised without possession and recover the ball in useful areas, they could exploit the space Arsenal leave behind when committing players forward.
For Arsenal, the challenge will be to attack with urgency without becoming vulnerable to transitions.
Olivia Smith’s ability to dribble past opponents and create shooting opportunities could be particularly useful against a compact defensive setup. Reuteler’s movement into advanced positions offers another potential way to disrupt Birmingham’s defensive organisation.
Birmingham, meanwhile, need to balance their attacking ambition with the defensive discipline required against a side capable of sustaining pressure.
Arsenal enter the match as favourites despite their difficult start to the season. Their attacking quality and home advantage should provide opportunities against a Birmingham team that has conceded 12 goals in five league matches.
However, the absence of Mariona, Cerci and Kelly could affect Arsenal’s attacking combinations, while Birmingham have already demonstrated their ability to threaten opponents on the counterattack.
The key will be whether Arsenal can establish control in midfield while limiting Birmingham’s opportunities to break forward.
**Prediction: Arsenal 3-1 Birmingham City.**
Arsenal should have enough quality to secure an important home victory, although Birmingham’s attacking approach could make the contest more competitive than the league positions suggest.