While Chelsea have stayed unbeaten at the start of 2025-26 campaign and sit top of the WSL table, Arsenal have been less fortunate.
The Gunners’ hopes of a title charge suffered an early blow with a defeat by Manchester City and draws against Manchester United and Aston Villa.
Those results have left Arsenal five points behind Chelsea and a defeat on Saturday would surely end their dreams of winning a first league title since 2019.
While they have endured a shaky start to the season, the Gunners did strengthen in the summer and Slegers has a deeper squad to challenge the reigning champions.
Arsenal will also take confidence from their triumphant Champions League run last season, when they beat eight-time winners Lyon and favourites Barcelona to lift the one trophy that Chelsea have yet to win.
Former Gunners defender Jen Beattie says Arsenal have the players to cause Chelsea problems.
“I do think that they have more than enough quality in their squad to [win], ” she told the Women’s Football Weekly podcast.
“We’ve seen that over the past sort of 12 months of course – it’s whether they get it tactically right.”
Slegers will also be well aware that Bompastor’s side have looked far from invincible this season.
The Blues overcame a slow start to beat Aston Villa and they narrowly edged past Leicester, while they dropped points in a surprise draw against Dutch side Twente in their Women’s Champions League opener.
Describing Chelsea’s unbeaten run as “ridiculous”, former England striker Ellen White added: “It is going to be a real challenge for Arsenal and I think it comes at a good time for them.
“They have to put everything together now and they have to perform and improve and really kickstart their season.”
But if the Gunners fail to get any points on Saturday, White says the title, which they last won in 2019, will be “out of reach” again.
