ROYALS FIND CONFIDENCE AHEAD OF GUNNERS GAME
READING FC WOMEN are searching for their first away win of the Women’s Super League season in a tough away trip to Arsenal.
The Royals go into Sunday’s contest on the back of two consecutive wins after returning from the international break.
Kelly Chambers’ team followed up their FA Cup shootout success at Tottenham Hotspur by defeating West Ham United in the WSL last Sunday.
The win lifts the Royals up to 10th in the table and four points above bottom placed Leicester City, having played one more match than the Foxes.
Arsenal will go into the match in high spirits having captured the Conti Cup last weekend against Chelsea.
The Gunners ended their four year trophy drought with an impressive comeback to beat the current WSL champions.
The Blues burst into life when Sam Kerr put them in front after just two minutes, but Jonas Edievall’s side reposed valiantly and struck three times before the break with goals from Stina Blackstenius, Kim Little and Rafaelle Souza.
A goalless second-half ensured that Arsenal clinched the cup to win the first trophy up for grabs this campaign.
The north London side will be desperate for three points in the league to keep their title challenge alive.
Arsenal go into the game in fourth position on 26 points from 12 matches and have picked up just two points from their last three league games.
The Gunners were left frustrated in away goalless draw at West Ham before they lost out 2-1 to fellow title rivals Manchester City which leaves them off the pace.
They sit five points behind Chelsea on the same games and six points behind second placed Man City and trial leaders Manchester United by nine points, both of whom have played two more matches.
After being unfortunate to lose two of their essential players to ACL injuries, Beth Mead and Vivianne Miedema, Arsenal have struggled to find a killer edge to get them across the line in recent WSL matches.
The previous meeting between the team’s this season was a close affair at the Select Car
Leasing Stadium.
Reading put up a resolute fight and made Arsenal work to get all three points as Blackstenuis scored the only goal of the game in which goalkeeper Jackie Burns stopped a penalty from Little on her league debut.
On their last visit to Arsenal, Reading lost 4-0, conceding goals to Miedema, Blackstenius, Katie McCabe and Leah Williamson.