Boss Jonas Eidevall has backed Alessia Russo to help kickstart Arsenal's season against her former club tonight.
The Euro 2022 winner joined on a free transfer when her Manchester United contract expired in July.
Eidevall, who yesterday signed a new long-term deal, hopes the 24-year-old (right) can demonstrate her "sky-high potential" this evening.
The Gunners are in desperate need of a win, after a 1-0 defeat by Liverpool on the opening day of the WSL season last Sunday and losing to Paris FC in Champions League qualifying last month.
"Alessia is 100 per cent professional", Eidevall said when asked about Russo's mindset ahead of facing her former team. "But of course it's special, when you return to play against a club."
Explaining why he signed the England striker, Eidevall said: "Alessia has a lot of different qualities, and what might be unique is the combination of these qualities. Sometimes you have a forward who is really hard-working and you can work with that player not being so good technically or not being a great finisher.
"Then sometimes you have a greater finisher, but you don't get 100 per cent in defence from them, and maybe you can live with that.
"Sometimes that player is really good technically when there is no player around her, but in a duel that player starts to lose the ball. But you can live with that, as when not in a duel she provides so much for the team.
"Alessia can work hard in defence, but she can also score goals, she's an excellent finisher, both with her head and her feet. And she's a technical player, but she can also control the duels and be really physical and protect the ball.
"It's very, very seldom that you see players that have all the aspects of it. Usually in football you have to choose between some of it. I think Alessia's potential is sky-high in that she has all of it."
Fellow striker Beth Mead will not feature tonight but is nearing her return from an ACL injury.
