Conti Cup final day is finally here and Chelsea face Arsenal at a sold-out Selhurst Park.
Both the Blues and Gunners are bidding to take home the first piece of silverware up for grabs this season, but the day is looking to favour Chelsea with Arsenal lacking attacking depth.
Emma Hayes’ side unceremoniously knocked Arsenal out of the fifth round of the FA Women’s Cup last weekend after goals from Sophie Ingle and Sam Kerr went unanswered.
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But what do our writers think will happen? We take a look at their predictions for today's final.
Beth Lindop
Both sides have had a week to recover from last weekend’s FA Cup clash and therefore I think we’ll see both managers field a strong starting XI.
For Chelsea, I would expect Ann Katrin-Berger to remain in goal and Jess Carter to come into a back three alongside Magda Eriksson and Millie Bright. Sophie Ingle and Erin Cuthbert stay in midfield, with Niamh Charles keeping her place in the starting lineup and Johanna Rytting Kaneryd coming in too. Jelena Cankovic impressed against Arsenal last time out so she keeps her place alongside Guro Reiten and Lauren James, with centurion Sam Kerr leading the line.
For Arsenal, I’d expect one change from last week’s contest, with winger Victoria Pelova replacing Katie McCabe to add an extra dynamic to the Gunners’ fledgling attack. Stina Blackstenius and Caitlin Foord make up the front three while captain Kim Little stays in midfield alongside Lia Walti and Frida Maanum. I’d predict an unchanged back four of Leah Willamson, Rafaelle Souza, Steph Catley and Laura Wienroither, with Manuela Zinsberger in goal.
Prediction: Arsenal 1-2 Chelsea
Jack Lacey-Hatton
I expect Emma Hayes to go close to the team that won last week - she has stated that playing the same team again so quickly helps the analysis preparation and I think we can assume there won’t be many changes.
But I do think that Kadeisha Buchanan will come back in. She had only just returned from international duty before the FA Cup clash, but we could see her back at centre-back with Magda Eriksson returning to left-back.
For Arsenal I’d like to see a return to more of a flat 4-3-3 with Frida Maanum dropping a little deeper to receive the ball and influence the game.
It would be a big call to revert to the 3-4-3 that beat City in the semi-final but Jonas Eidevall needs to find a way of stopping Sam Kerr, and extra reinforcements at the back could do the trick.
Lotte Wubben-Moy or Jen Beattie alongside Wiilliamson and Rafaelle could help keep a cagey contest close and I don’t think Arsenal can afford to concede first.
It’ll be tight - cup finals between two top quality teams always are - but I fancy Arsenal to cause something of a surprise and edge it 1-0.
Prediction: Arsenal 1-0 Chelsea
Hannah Pinnock
I would expect Emma Hayes to select a very similar team to the one that beat Arsenal last time out in the FA Cup. Eve Perisset and Jelena Cankovic both had a really good game against the Gunners, the latter registered an assist for Sam Kerr’s strike in the second half. The only question mark remains over whether Kadeisha Buchanan slots back into the starting line-up.
For Arsenal, I’d also expect a similar line-up with only minor changes to the personnel. Victoria Pelova could come back into the starting line-up but Frida Maanum should be a guaranteed starter. Currently, she’s one of the Gunners’ greatest attacking threats and she could be key if they’re to get one over their London rivals this weekend.
Score wise, I still think Chelsea will have too much for Arsenal and will narrowly win on Sunday.
Prediction: Arsenal 1-2 Chelsea
Megan Feringa
Having a memory like a goldfish is the challenge for Arsenal if they’re to eclipse the “mentality of champions” honed by Chelsea after the FA Cup fifth round last week, though I imagine both managers will stick to similar lineups for Sunday’s re-match.
The big question for Emma Hayes is whether she returns Kadeisha Buchanan to her centre-back berth alongside Millie Bright, and thereby reinstating Magdelena Eriksson to left-back over Niamh Charles.
Sophie Ingle and Erin Cuthbert worked well in a double pivot behind Jelena Cankovic, whose tenacity in the Blues’ press allowed both midfielders to push forward with devastating effect as Ingle she latched onto Lauren James’ simple pass into the box and fired beyond Manuela Zinsberger.
Arsenal’s goalscoring troubles have been well documented by this juncture, with the FA Cup match representing another episode in the ongoing tribulations. Victoria Pelova could be an option to flesh out the attack, though manager Jonas Eidevall might consider reverting to a back three, a system successfully utilised against Manchester City and might just offset Chelsea’s relentless threats in James and Sam Kerr.
Another stressful but no less thrilling affair feels on the inevitable cards – as does another 2-0 victory for Chelsea.
Prediction: Arsenal 0-2 Chelsea
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