Image source, Getty Images

Arsenal boss Renee Slegers says that she is expecting a 'big contest' when runaway league leaders Man City visit the Emirates this afternoon.

The Blues extended their lead to 11 points at the top of the table last weekend with an emphatic 5-1 thumping of reigning champions Chelsea, though Manchester United cut the gap back down to eight with a win at Leicester on Saturday lunchtime.

In her pre-match press conference Slegers said: "The league is really tight this year again. Of course, City have done really well with only one loss so far, so they’ve been amazing in what they’ve been achieving every single week but we go for the win."

Should Arsenal claim victory over the leaders they would heap further pressure on rivals Chelsea in the race for the Champions League spots.

Slegers added: "It's two really good teams going against each other, believing in themselves , and we want and need three points."

Image source, Getty Images

Arsenal and Man City is the most regular match up in Women's Super League history, with the sides sharing an identical head to head record across their 24 meetings to date:

• 11 wins for Arsenal
• 11 wins for Man City
• Two draws

In recent years this fixture has produced many encapsulating encounters, with plenty of goals thrown in for good measure.

Both teams have scored more than once in each of the last three WSL meetings, with the Blues running out 3-2 winners over the Gunners in the reverse fixture back in October.

Alex Brotherton
BBC Sport journalist at Emirates Stadium

It's interesting how involved Manchester City boss Andree Jeglertz is in his side's warm-up routine.

The 53-year-old is trying his best not to get involved in a rondo passing drill involving the starting XI, but he can't seem to help himself.

The players look relaxed but focussed - that mood and attitude stems from the coach.

Image source, Getty Images

Man City boss Andree Jeglertz says that his side's superb showings this season are down to the players "enjoying spending time together."

Since losing on the opening day to Chelsea, the Blues have blown away all before them, winning fourteen games on the spin to build an eight point lead at the summit.

"We're a team that likes to spend time with each other on and off the field and that believes in each other. I’m not on the sideline telling them what to do, it has to be their decisions, " said Jeglertz in his pre-match press conference.

He added: "Every time we scored [against Chelsea], looking at the players... it’s a team who are enjoying playing together at the moment.

"When we celebrate the goal we also run to the keeper because Yama is doing a great action for one of Kerolin's goals. It shows something about the team enjoying every moment."

West Ham United

West Ham, 11th out of 12 teams in the league, have conceded 20 second half goals in the WSL this season. The Hammers have let in a second half goal in 16 of their last 17 league matches and their overall total of 32 goals conceded is six more than any other side.

Today's opponents Brighton, sitting seventh, have won two of their three most recent league away games, having only won on their travels three times in their previous 18 league away matches.

Everton

Image source, Getty Images

Earlier this week, Scott Phelan was appointed interim manager of Everton Women until the end of the season following the sacking of Brian Sorensen.

Speaking in his first news conference on Thursday before the game against London City Lionesses, he told BBC Sport how it had unfolded.

"I met the players for the first time," he said. "We had our first training session together.

"There has been a lot of emotion over the last 24 hours. We went through the first step of getting to know each other, making the players understand what we can expect from us as the coaching staff and also what we expect from them.

"From that point on, the players have been really good, really positive. The energy and effort we asked for was so evident from the first ball that rolled.

"It was a real privilege to be around them and it makes my excitement levels grow even more for the opportunities that will arrive for the nine or so remaining games."

London City Lionesses

Image source, Getty Images

London City Lionesses’ first ever win in the Women’s Super League came at Goodison Park against Everton last September, winning 2-1 thanks to two goals from Izzy Goodwin.

They have since recorded another five victories to sit sixth in the table, just inside the top half.

Only West Ham in 2018-19 and Manchester United in 2019-20 have picked up more victories as a newly promoted side (both seven).

Following a 2-1 home victory against Aston Villa last time out, Everton will be aiming to win back-to-back matches in the WSL for the first time since December 2023.

Liverpool

Image source, Getty Images

This has been a difficult season for Liverpool in the Women's Super League.

They are currently bottom of the table, one point behind 11th-placed West Ham.

However, things have turned around slightly since the league returned from the winter break, having drawn with London City and beaten Tottenham before suffering defeat by Manchester United last time out.

Gareth Taylor's side will be hoping they can beat an Aston Villa team who have lost two of their past seven matches - although one of them was their 2-0 success at home to Liverpool in December.

Alex Brotherton
BBC Sport journalist at Emirates Stadium

After beating Chelsea in their last league outing before lifting the Fifa Champions Cup on home turf, Arsenal boss Renee Slegers has called on the home fans to help the team build momentum.

"Our team is always delighted to play at Emirates Stadium, but these games against top teams have that added edge," Slegers wrote in her match programme notes.

"The atmopshere you created away from home against Chelsea was remarkable. We can't wait to feed off even more of that energy today.

"So bring the noise. Bring the love and the passion you have for this club. And we'll bring the performance to be proud of."

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City boss Andree Jeglertz says Arsenal's victory in Fifa's inaugural Champions Cup last weekend shows how "special" the Women's Super League is at the moment.

Arsenal saw off Brazilian side Corinthians in extra time to take the trophy at Emirates Stadium and arguably lay claim to the title of best club side in world football.

However, if City beat Arsenal this afternoon they will be 16 points ahead of Renee Slegers' side in the WSL table.

"Congratulations to them - of course they should claim that [best in the world]," said Jeglertz when asked about the victory in his pre-match press conference.

"It is a great achievement for them, but also for our league. It shows it is on a special level that they are there, but there are a couple of teams ahead of them at the moment."

The City boss added: "There are a lot of things I admire about them. They are a benchmark and we can learn a lot from what they are doing."

Manchester City

Manchester City have won each of their past 13 league games since losing to Chelsea on the opening day of the season.

Today they will be looking to equal the longest winning run in Women’s Super League history, set by the Citizens themselves between November 2023 and April 2024, and Arsenal between March and November 2022.

Image source, Getty Images

Speaking of Manchester United's 2-0 win at Leicester on Saturday, here's the highlights.

*Available for UK users only*

Heading into matchday 15 of the campaign the title race looks like it's Man City's to lose. A win today at the Emirates would take them 11 points clear at the summit.

It's all to play for elsewhere though, with five points separating Manchester United in second and Tottenham in fifth in the fight for the Champions League qualification places.

It's even tighter at the bottom of the pile after Leicester's defeat on Saturday. Liverpool and West Ham could catch or even leapfrog them in the relegation battle if they secure wins today.

Gareth Taylor's Liverpool make one change for today's Barclays Women’s Super League fixture against Aston Villa. Mia Enderby steps into the starting line-up.

Liverpool XI: Falk, Shimizu, Fisk (C) Bernabe, Nagano, O'Sullivan, Kapocs, Enderby, Thomas, Holland

Subs: Kirby, Parry, Evans, Olsson, Woodham, Maclean, Bonner, Bergstrom, Csillag

Natalia Arroyo has made one change to Aston Villa's starting XI that faced Everton. Lucy Parker comes in today for Lynn Wilms.

Aston Villa: D'Angelo, Parker, Patten (C), Deslandes, Salmon, Jean-Francois, Matlby, Hijikata, Mullet, Hanson

Subs: Roebuck, Wilms, Maritz, Nighswonger, Staniforth, Lea, Round, Grant

There are three changes to the London City Lionesses side who beat Brighton 2-1 last time out.

Alanna Kennedy comes in for Elena Linari at the back.

Saki Kumagai and Grace Geyoro start in midfield with Maria Perez and Julia Roddar dropping to the bench.

London City Lionesses XI: Lete, Fernandez, Sangare, Kennedy, Pattinson, Kumagai, Geyoro, Godfrey, Goodwin, Corrales, Asllani.

Subs: Poor, Goldie, Perez, Van de Donk, Linari, Franssi, Roddar, Parris, Imuran.

Image source, BBC Sport

Everton are unchanged from the side who beat Aston Villa 2-1 in their first home win at Goodison Park before sacking manager Brian Sorensen.

Under-18s coach Scott Phelan, 37, will take charge of the women's team for the rest of the season.

Everton XI: Brosnan, Blundell, Mace, Fernandez, Kitagawa, Hayashi, Gabarro, van Gool, Wheeler, Momiki, Vignola.

Subs: Ramsey, Ishikawa, Hobson, Harbert, Kramzar, Galli, Pacheco.

Image source, BBC Sport

West Ham manager Rita Guarino makes three changes to the side that were beaten 2-1 by Tottenham last week.

Tuva Hansen and Katie Zelem make their full debuts for the Hammers while goalkeeper Kinga Szemik returns to the starting line-up after an injury to replace Megan Walsh.

West Ham XI: Szemik, Hansen, Nystrom, Cascarino, Hanshaw, Siren, Zelem, Wandeler, Ueki, Asseyi, Martinez.

Subs: Walsh, Endo, Belloumou, Tennebo, Brasero, Gorry, Morgan, Houssein, Piubel.

Image source, BBC Sport

Still under interim head coach Chris Roberts in Dario Vidosic's absence, Brighton stick with the same starting line-up from the 2-1 defeat by London City Lionesses last weekend.

Kiko Seike, who has been directly involved in four of the Seagulls' last five league goals (three goals and two assists), is among the starters but Fran Kirby remains sidelined with an injury.

Brighton XI: Nnadozie, Vanegas, Minami, Kafaji, Symonds, Cankovic, Seike, Noordam, Olislagers, Haley, Rule.

Subs: Baggaley, Rayner, Hayes, Tvedten, Camacho, McLauchlan, Tsunoda, McEwen, Poulter.

Image source, BBC Sport

Alex Brotherton
BBC Sport journalist at Emirates Stadium

Arsenal manager Renee Slegers makes two changes to the side that beat Corinthians in the final of the Fifa Champions Cup last weekend.

After scoring the extra-time winner in that game, Caitlin Foord comes in for Stina Blackstenius, who is not in the matchday squad. Daphne van Domselaar replaces the injured Anneke Borbe in goal.

Arsenal XI: Van Domselaar, Fox, Wubben-Moy, Catley, McCabe, Caldentey, Little (c), Mead, Foord, Smith, Russo.

Subs: Votikova, Williams, Codina, Williamson, Maanum, Kelly, Pelova, Holmberg, Harwood.

Image source, BBC Sport

Andree Jeglertz names an unchanged XI after Manchester City beat Chelsea 5-1 a week ago.

Club record signing Sam Coffey awaits her first start since her £600,000 move from Portland Thorns last month.

Mary Fowler, who came off the bench last weekend to make her long-awaited return from an ACL injury, is not in the matchday squad.

Man City XI: Yamashita, Casparij, Rose, Knaak, Greenwood (c), Blindkilde Brown, Hasegawa, Kerolin, Miedema, Hemp, Shaw.

Subs: Keating, Clinton, Coombs, Ouahabi, Coffey, Lohmann, Beney, Prior, Murphy.

Image source, BBC Sport

Right enough chatter for now, let's get some team news.

As ever we want to hear your opinions this lunchtime.

Is the WSL title officially Man City's to lose? Which two out of Man Utd, Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs will claim the Champions League spots?

And what do you make of the battle at the bottom - will Liverpool and West Ham drag Leicester into the thick of it?

Get in touch via all the usual means to have your say.

We've got four fixtures kicking off at 12:00 GMT, including that huge match up at the Emirates, before Chelsea's trip across town to Spurs at 14:25 GMT, which will be shown live on BBC Two.