Mead set to start in Arsenal Etihad clash | OneFootball

Beth Mead has been selected in City’s starting XI for our Barclays Women’s Super League clash with Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium.

Niamh Charles is also set to make her full debut as one of three changes from our 1-1 draw with Real Madrid on Thursday evening, while captain Alex Greenwood is set to make her 200th WSL appearance.

The other change sees Sam Coffey come into the midfield alongside Yui Hasegawa, with Laura Blindkilde Brown, Kerstin Casparij and Mary Fowler among the substitutes.

Teams

City XI: Yamashita, Wamser, Rose, Greenwood (C), Charles, Coffey, Hasegawa, Mead, Fujino, Hemp, Shaw.

Subs: Cumings, Clinton, Fowler, Wienroither, Casparij, Blindkilde Brown, Beney, Prior, Davies.

Arsenal XI: Borbe, Fox, Wubben-Moy, Stanway, Williamson, Caldentey, Little (C), Baum, Batlle, Russo, Cooney-Cross

Arsenal Subs: Misa, Catley, Foord, Smith, Maanum, Reuteler, Blackstenius, Cerci, Holmberg

How we line up

We expect Ayaka Yamashita’s goal to be shielded by a back four of Carlotta Wamser, Jade Rose, Alex Greenwood and Niamh Charles, from right to left.

Sam Coffey and Yui Hasegawa will operate from deep, with an attacking trident of Beth Mead, Aoba Fujino and Lauren Hemp supplying Bunny Shaw up front.

Expect Mead, Fujino and Hemp to interchange throughout the game, with Shaw also dropping in to help link play.

Familiar foe

Mead’s potential encounter with former club Arsenal has dominated much of the pre-match build-up, and she’s been selected to start this afternoon.

The forward enjoyed a phenomenal nine-year spell in North London, which was brought to an end this summer when she switched to City.

While both she and Head Coach Andrée Jeglertz have made it clear it’ll take time to fully adapt to her new surroundings, our number seven has still enjoyed a strong start to life in Manchester.

Conversely, Georgia Stanway also returns to Manchester to face her former club for the first time.

With 186 appearances and 67 goals, the England international was a key figure for City before her move to Bayern Munich in the summer of 2022.

Big game player

England full-back Charles has enjoyed two impressive substitute appearances so far since her return from injury, but this is the ultimate way to make your full debut.

A seasoned international with an incredible list of honours, she joined the Club from Chelsea this summer and certainly won’t be fazed by the big occasion.

A versatile defender capable of operating on either flank, she’s predominantly played on the left so far for the Blues but did briefly feature on the opposite side in midweek.

200 Up

A huge congratulations to City captain Alex Greenwood, who’s set to make her 200th WSL appearance this afternoon against Arsenal.

She’s just the tenth player in the competition’s history to reach the milestone, with 116 of those appearances coming for City.

Shortlisted for the Ballon d’Or and captain of the WSL champions, Greenwood is playing at the top of her game and this latest achievement is just rewards for a stellar career thus far.

Stat Zone