🏏 Sun, 13 Sep 2026 14:45 BST
Arsenal Women
vs
Crystal Palace W
Positions estimated (no formation data from the API)
Substitutes
Substitutes
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- Both clubs arrive off 1-0 opening-day wins: Arsenal won away at Brighton, Crystal Palace beat Everton at home. That leaves them level on three points with a goal difference of +1 apiece, sitting fifth and sixth respectively and chasing Chelsea, who lead with four points from two matches. For newly promoted Palace, this is their first trip to one of the division's heavyweights since coming up.
- Palace goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin returns to a former club. The 34-year-old France international only joined on loan from NWSL side Denver Summit in August 2026, having won five trophies across four and a half seasons at Juventus, and her CV also includes spells at Lyon and Arsenal. Facing the shots of the club she once represented gives the afternoon an extra edge.
- Japan midfielder Fuka Tsunoda starts for Palace. The 21-year-old holding midfielder won five domestic trophies at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Urawa Reds Ladies, including back-to-back WE League titles, before moving to Brighton in September 2025 and on into the WSL. Her reading of danger and her habit of winning the ball high up the pitch will be tested to the limit here.
- Her opposite numbers form a heavyweight Arsenal double pivot. Georgia Stanway spent four years at Bayern Munich before joining on a free transfer in July 2026, a return to the WSL for the England international who previously played for Manchester City. Alongside her is Kyra Cooney-Cross, the 24-year-old Australia international whose left foot sets the tempo and whose pressing intensity underpins the midfield.
- Arsenal's front three carry serious firepower. Mariona Caldentey, 30, spent a decade at Barcelona and was part of Spain's 2023 World Cup-winning squad; Chloe Kelly, 28, scored the winner in the Euro 2022 final and attacks from the right; Alessia Russo, 27, combines link play with a ruthless finish. Palace counter with centre-backs Molly Bartrip, the 30-year-old who was the only player to feature in every minute of every WSL match in 2024-25, and young defender T. Goldie.
- There is a personal note on the Palace left too. Lexi Lloyd-Smith, 23, was the WSL2 top scorer last season with 11 goals in 21 games and signed a three-year deal as a free agent in July 2026. She came through the academies at both Arsenal and Chelsea and has represented England at every age group up to U-23, so this is a return to familiar surroundings.
- Arsenal rebuilt their spine over the summer. Goalkeeper Misa Rodríguez, 27, made a club-record 215 appearances for Real Madrid and captained them in 2025, arriving on a free in July 2026 with a World Cup winner's medal from 2023, a Nations League title and 24 caps. Ona Batlle joined on the same basis, offering three seasons of Manchester United and three of Barcelona plus the flexibility to play at either full-back spot.
- The benches tell different stories. Arsenal can introduce 36-year-old club legend Kim Little, Canada forward Olivia Smith — the first million-pound transfer in women's football, still only 22 — Sweden striker Stina Blackstenius, 30, and Caitlin Foord, the 31-year-old Australian whose career includes a spell at Vegalta Sendai Ladies.
- Palace's substitutes include Sierra Enge, the 26-year-old American midfielder who was manager Joe Potter's first signing after coming through Stanford and being taken in the second round of the NWSL draft, with two seasons and 44 appearances at Strasbourg behind her. Jamaica defender Allyson Swaby, 29, brings experience from Paris Saint-Germain, Roma and Angel City, while 21-year-old goalkeeper Comfort Erhabor arrived from Portsmouth on a two-year deal in September 2026 after making her Nigeria debut that February.