Arsenal return to Women’s Super League action on Saturday knowing they need a response, with Renee Slegers under increasing pressure to turn around a difficult start to the season.
The Gunners welcome newly promoted Birmingham City to the Emirates Stadium after going winless in their last five league matches, leaving them languishing in 10th place following a campaign that began with ambitions of challenging for the title.
Their most recent outing brought another setback, as Arsenal twice took the lead against Manchester City before eventually suffering a 4-2 defeat at the Etihad Stadium.
An international break has offered Slegers and her players an opportunity to regroup, but Saturday’s fixture now presents an important chance to rebuild momentum.
Slegers Insists Arsenal Can Get Their WSL Season Back on Track
The pressure on Slegers has grown as Arsenal’s results have failed to match expectations, with home draws against Crystal Palace and Manchester United followed by defeats to Chelsea and Manchester City.
The Dutch coach, who initially took charge as interim manager two years ago, acknowledged that the results have not been good enough but insisted she remains confident in the group.
Speaking ahead of the Birmingham fixture, Slegers said she could see "light at the end of the tunnel" despite the difficult run.
"Of course, yeah, I love Arsenal, I love this team, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else," she said.
"Even though it’s been difficult, I see light at the end of the tunnel and I look forward. I feel that we are strong together and I look forward to Saturday."
Slegers also explained that the international break had provided an opportunity to review the team's performances, training programme and overall culture.
She stressed that the focus had been on identifying areas for improvement while maintaining the qualities that have made Arsenal successful.
"There’s a lot of clarity coming out of this window and I really look forward to starting to apply it in this next block," she added.
With nine games scheduled over the next six weeks, Arsenal have little time to waste if they are to climb the table and get their season back on track.
Arsenal Team News: Caldentey Injury and Return Updates
Arsenal will be without Mariona Caldentey for the foreseeable future after the midfielder suffered a significant hamstring injury against Manchester City.
Slegers confirmed that the Spain international is expected to miss between eight and 10 weeks, although a recent scan showed that her recovery is progressing well.
The absence of Caldentey represents a major blow for Arsenal, with the midfielder capable of operating across several positions and playing a crucial role in connecting the team's defence and attack.
"Mariona is a real team player, and does all the roles and responsibilities whether she plays in the six, eight, ten or the last couple of games on the left," Slegers explained.
"It's a loss for us not to have Mariona and I'm gutted for her as well because of the love for the game she has."
Selina Cerci will also be unavailable after undergoing knee surgery, while Chloe Kelly is not ready to return.
However, there is more encouraging news elsewhere.
Alessia Russo and Georgia Stanway both scored for England during the international break, while Olivia Smith impressed for Canada and Stina Blackstenius found the net three times for Sweden.
Slegers revealed that Arsenal's players scored 13 international goals collectively, providing a confidence boost ahead of their return to club football.
Smith, in particular, could be an important figure after returning to full fitness.
The manager described the forward as a player with an exceptionally high ceiling and said she was delighted to see her looking free and confident again during Canada's fixtures.
Birmingham City Preview: Counter-Attacking Threat Arsenal Must Contain
Despite their position in the table, Arsenal cannot afford to underestimate Birmingham City.
The newly promoted side are still searching for their first league victory of the campaign, having most recently suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat to Everton.
However, they have shown they can trouble opponents, recording high-scoring draws against Brighton and Crystal Palace.
Forward Oceane Hurtre has been one of their standout performers, scoring five league goals so far this season before earning her first senior France cap during the international break.
Slegers expects Birmingham to pose a threat through their pace on the counterattack and individual quality in wide areas.
"They're a hard-working team. They have some individual qualities. They're fast on the break, like many teams do well this year in the league," she said.
"They haven't maybe gotten the three-pointers, Birmingham, but they have been threatening teams."
Arsenal will therefore need to balance attacking ambition with defensive discipline, particularly after conceding four times against Manchester City.
Slegers believes there will be opportunities to exploit, but her side must be sharper in possession and more clinical in the final third.
Arsenal vs Birmingham City: Team News and Predicted Line-Ups
Arsenal will be without Caldentey, Cerci and Kelly, while Caldentey's expected eight-to-10-week absence is a significant concern heading into a busy run of fixtures.
Birmingham will look to Hurtré to lead their attacking threat after her impressive start to the season.
Predicted Arsenal XI: Rodriguez; Fox, Williamson, Wubben-Moy, Batlle; Cooney-Cross, Stanway, Little; Smith, Russo, Baum.
Predicted Birmingham City XI: Baggaley; Levasseur, Turner, Herron, McKenna; Naalsund, Miyagawa, Crosthwaite, Hurtre, Lee Geum-min; Sarri.
Arsenal vs Birmingham City: Kick-Off Time and TV Channel
- Date: Saturday, 17 October 2026
- Kick-off: 12:45pm BST
- Venue: Emirates Stadium, London
- Competition: Women’s Super League
- UK TV coverage: Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Mix
Arsenal Need a Response as Pressure Builds on Slegers
Saturday's match may not decide Arsenal's season, but another disappointing result would increase the scrutiny surrounding Slegers and her team's performances.
The manager has made it clear that she remains committed to the club and believes the squad can improve, pointing to the determination and energy she has seen behind the scenes.
Now, Arsenal must translate that belief into results.
Birmingham will arrive determined to secure their first league victory, while the hosts need to show their supporters that the difficult opening period can be left behind.
For Slegers, the message is clear: Arsenal need urgency, greater consistency and a winning performance.
After weeks of frustration, the Emirates Stadium could provide the setting for a much-needed reset but the Gunners must deliver when it matters.
