WSL: London City Lionesses eye historic statement against Arsenal

WSL: London City Lionesses eye historic statement against Arsenal Eder Maestre wants London City Lionesses to embrace the challenge of facing Arsenal rather than being intimidated by their larger-than-life reputation. London City travel to the Emirates Stadium on Sunday knowing a win would strengthen their position among the WSL’s leading sides. Arsenal may have struggled for consistency in the league, but Maestre is taking nothing for granted. The Gunners showed their quality in their recent Champions League meeting with Barcelona . Despite their rather inconsistent domestic form, they remain one of the strongest teams in the league. Eder Maestre looks ahead of Arsenal clash Maestre believes Arsenal’s ability to change their approach makes them difficult to prepare for. They can dominate possession, sit deep and attack on the counter. London City must be ready for all three. “They have a lot of potential, so they can be a very, very strong team,” he said. “Whether they play in a more possession-based style or whether they can be in that kind of low block to punish you in counter-attack, that way of being unpredictable is something challenging for us.” Embed from Getty Images Maestre’s concern is not simply Arsenal’s ability to keep the ball. They can also change the game by sitting deeper and attacking the spaces opponents leave behind. That makes it difficult to prepare for one specific version of the team. He returned to that point when discussing London City’s pressing approach. “We need to be humble enough to understand that Arsenal are the kind of team that can break your press and push you into that potential mid-block.” He wants London City to press with intent, but not at the expense of their defensive shape. If Arsenal play through the first line of pressure, the visitors must stay organized and be ready to defend deeper. That is why he wants his players to manage the tempo rather than rush into every attack. London City need to mix their direct approach with longer spells of possession and make Arsenal work without the ball. He explained that his team wants to be dangerous in different ways. “We can be dangerous in the control attacks, we can be dangerous in possession, long possessions, trying to break lines with patience.” Embed from Getty Images London City aren’t looking to travel to North London simply to contain Arsenal. Maestre wants his side to play their own game and keep the pressure on the hosts. “Hopefully we can implement our identity. If we have to choose one side to play against them, hopefully we can keep the ball in their half and try to be dominant through the ball.” However, he acknowledged that Arsenal can punish teams that leave too much space behind them. London City have to tap the right balance between pressing high and protecting their defence. “They are very, very strong on the counter-attack. They can be very, very dangerous in every register.” Arsenal still searching for goals across the team Arsenal’s attacking problems have not been limited to chance creation. They have also struggled to get consistent contributions from across the team. Alessia Russo has become their main source of goals, especially in recent weeks. She scored twice against Liverpool on November 8 and has found the net nine times in her last seven appearances in all competitions.  Embed from Getty Images That does not mean Arsenal lack attacking options. They will, however, need more players to turn their involvement into goals. Lisa Baum, Olivia Smith and the wider forward line will all have a part to play if Arsenal are to make the most of their attacking talent. For London City, limiting Russo will be important, but it cannot be the only focus. Arsenal have enough quality elsewhere to punish a defence that becomes too focused on one player. Finding the right balance in midfield Arsenal’s ability to control possession could make the midfield battle decisive. Maestre knows his players cannot afford to rush their decisions or chase the game too early. He wants London City to keep their intensity but also show patience when they have the ball. “We need to be very smart managing the tempo, the moments that we have the ball,” he said. “If we start rushing a lot, due to the talent that they have in midfield, we can be out of possession more time than we expected to be.” That balance will matter against an Arsenal side that can break through an aggressive press. London City must know when to commit forward and when to protect the space behind them. Embed from Getty Images Maestre also expects his players to adapt to Arsenal’s style of play as the game develops. He does not want them to rely on one approach when Arsenal can offer threats in several areas. The manager believes his side has shown that they can cause problems in different ways. Now they must bring those qualities together against one of the league’s biggest clubs. Former Arsenal players bring valuable experience London City have players who know Arsenal well. Daniëlle van de Donk and Freya Godfrey have both experienced the club from the inside. Their familiarity could help ahead of Sunday’s meeting, but Maestre does not want emotion to get in the way of preparation. Facing a former club can bring extra motivation. It can also create pressure to prove something. “When you were this kind of former player, it’s something positive in terms of having even more hunger to play these kind of games,” he explained. “But it’s about coping with the pressure or that overpressure that you can put over yourself.” Embed from Getty Images Maestre also knows what Arsenal expect from their players. Their reputation and standards have not changed, even if their results have been less consistent this season. That makes the fixture an important test for a London City side still building its place among the WSL’s leading teams. Alexia Putellas sets the standard Alexia Putellas will also have an important role to play. Maestre sees the midfielder’s experience and approach as central to the standards he wants across the squad. Her influence goes beyond what she produces during matches. He pointed to her attention to detail in training and the way she encourages her teammates. “Alexia represents the highest standard in terms of taking responsibility in the tough moments,” he said. For Maestre, having experienced players who understand the demands of big games can make a difference when the pressure rises. He also wants the rest of the squad to take responsibility. Individual performances matter, but he believes they come from the work of the whole team. Embed from Getty Images Kadidiatou Diani has made a strong start to the season, with four goals and three assists in six starts. Maestre welcomed her contribution but was quick to recognise the players creating those opportunities around her. “This is a consequence of the collective. Having this kind of momentum in some individual players helps us to keep pushing.” London City’s attacking threat has not depended on one player. Maestre wants his side to keep finding different ways to reach the box and create chances. That approach has helped the team develop a clearer identity. However, he does not believe their recent results mean they can stop improving. Reflecting on the 4-1 win over Birmingham, he acknowledged that his players could have made better decisions in the final third and done more with the spaces they created. “We need to keep pushing for those standards, trying to be even better,” he said. London City still chasing a first win over Arsenal There is another challenge for Maestre’s side — London City have never beaten Arsenal. The Gunners have won all seven previous meetings across competitions, including the two sides’ league encounters in September 2025 and March 2026. Their most recent meeting ended in a 2-0 Arsenal win.  That record gives Sunday another layer of significance. London City are still establishing themselves in the WSL and beating a club with Arsenal’s history would be game-changing. London City ready for their next test Sunday offers London City another chance to show how far they have come. They have already made an impression in their first WSL season, but Maestre knows that competing with the established sides requires more than a strong run of results. “If you want to become this kind of big club, it makes no sense if you don’t have this fan engagement and this crowd screaming from the stands,” he said. “The environment, the context makes the difference.” Maestre knows the Emirates will present a tough atmosphere. But he wants his players to use that energy rather than let it unsettle them. He has made his expectations clear. London City must be brave, stay true to their style and believe they can take all three points. “We need to go with all the ambitions to try to be dominant, to look at their eyes and say, ‘Hey, we are here to win, and we are going to try to win being ourselves.'” For Maestre, this is another chance to measure his team’s progress. Beating Arsenal would mean a history-making result for London City, but the way they approach the challenge will matter just as much. Related articles from Her Football Hub: Sonia Bompastor says it’s ‘too early’ to predict WSL champions as Chelsea snag crucial win over Man City UWCL: Unpacking Arsenal’s draw with Barcelona as Misa Rodríguez saves the day Chelsea stars Hannah Hampton and Manaka Matsukubo recognised in Guinness World Records