London will feel a little quieter for Arsenal Women during the international window, but the pause arrives with much to consider. Barely five rounds into the Women’s Super League campaign, the 2025 European champions are already looking up at a title race that has begun to move away from them.
Arsenal’s 4-2 defeat at Manchester City on Sunday, played at the Etihad Stadium, extended their winless league sequence to four matches. The result left the Gunners with only five points, their lone victory having come in the opening-round 1-0 win away to Brighton. Two draws and two defeats have followed, placing Arsenal 11th in the table.
City, meanwhile, have made a flawless start, taking 15 points from 15 and opening a 10-point gap over Arsenal. Chelsea are second on 13 points, while London City Lionesses sit third with 12, with Alexia Putellas and Mapi León part of their increasingly significant presence in the English game.
A costly early distance
The contrast is particularly sharp given the work Arsenal did over the summer. The club brought in Misa from Real Madrid, Ona Batlle from Barcelona, Géraldine Reuteler from Eintracht Frankfurt and Georgia Stanway from Bayern Munich among their arrivals. It was recruitment befitting a side expected to challenge for a domestic crown they have not won since 2019.
Instead, the opening weeks have produced a difficult blend of missed momentum and defensive vulnerability. The City match was the clearest setback yet, and Arsenal now head into the break knowing that a recovery must begin quickly when the league resumes.
The Champions League has offered a slightly more encouraging picture, although not an entirely comfortable one. Arsenal opened their league-phase campaign with a narrow 1-0 home victory over Køge, secured only when Mariona Caldentey converted a penalty in the 93rd minute. Their next European outing brought a 2-2 draw away to Paris FC, despite Arsenal establishing a two-goal lead.
Time away from London
International duty means Arsenal will not play again until 17 October, when Birmingham visit in the sixth league round. The interruption gives the squad a chance to reset after an unusually uncertain opening to the season.
For a club carrying the status of continental champions, and strengthened by players drawn from Madrid, Barcelona, Frankfurt and Munich, the next stage of the autumn cannot simply be about staying in touch. Arsenal need to turn their European resilience into domestic points before the leaders disappear beyond reach.
