Aston Villa Women carry a five-match unbeaten run into their Women's Super League clash at Arsenal on Sunday. Interim manager Brian Sorensen has overseen a significant turnaround, with the team now sitting eighth in the table on nine points after a difficult start to the campaign.
Since taking over at the end of September, Sorensen has guided Villa to three wins and two draws. The sequence began with a 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace and was followed by league victories over Liverpool and Everton. Most recently, they progressed in the Subway Player’s Cup on Wednesday night, beating Birmingham City 6-5 on penalties after a 1-1 draw. That result extended their current form to three wins and two draws in their last five outings across all competitions.
The shift in momentum is stark. Before Sorensen's appointment, Villa had taken just two points from their opening four WSL fixtures. Now, with seven points from his three league games in charge, the team has climbed to eighth. Their recent standings position reflects a more resilient side, having scored nine goals but conceded 14 so far this season. Key to this improvement has been a tactical switch to a 3-4-2-1 formation, utilising Dominique Janssen and Noelle Maritz as wing-backs. This change has freed up attacker Chasity Grant to operate in more advanced areas, contributing to an attack led by top scorer Amalie Vangsgaard, who has three goals this term.
Arsenal, currently sixth, face significant squad challenges. They will be without goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar, midfielder Mariona Caldentey, and forwards Chloe Kelly and Selina Cerci due to injury. Defender Katie Reid, who recently returned from an ACL injury, has suffered a fresh ankle problem in training and is not expected back before Christmas. A late decision will be made on midfielder Frida Maanum, who is recovering from a quad issue. Despite these absences, the Gunners remain formidable at home, claiming a 22-match unbeaten streak at the Emirates Stadium in the WSL.
History offers Villa some encouragement. In this fixture last season, Paula Tomas scored a stoppage-time equaliser to secure a 1-1 draw for Villa, one of six damaging draws for Arsenal in the title race. The Gunners won the reverse fixture 3-0 in May, but Villa's current confidence is higher. They travel to London after a hard-fought cup win, with key players like Vangsgaard and Maritz in good scoring form. Maritz opened the scoring and provided an assist in the 3-2 win at Everton last week, while Vangsgaard netted a brace. The next test is a tough away trip, with Villa's following fixtures including a home game against Manchester United. The match at the Emirates Stadium kicks off at 12:00 on Sunday.
First reported at google.com
