Tottenham v Arsenal: Women’s Super League – live

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It’s a big day for the Spurs left-back Kerys Harrop. As of the referee’s first whistle, nobody will have played more often in the WSL.

A reminder of the teams

Tottenham Hotspur (possible 4-3-3) Korpela; Neville, Turner, Bartrip, Harrop; James, Spence, Summanen; Bizet, England, Ayane.
Substitutes: Spencer, Graham, Cho, Karczewska, Ale, Ubogagu.

Arsenal (possible 4-3-3) D’Angelo; Maritz, Williamson, Wubben-Moy, McCabe; Little, Maanum, Walti; Pelova, Blackstenius, Foord.
Substitutes: Zinsberger, Marckese, Beattie, Rafaelle, Wienroither, Kuhl, Gio, Hurtig, Taylor.

Referee Louise Saunders

Big interview: Leah Williamson

Leah Williamson couldn’t give a boring interview if she tried, and her chat with Simon Hattenstone is as candid and vivacious as you’d expect.

It got to a point where I’m thinking: this is not fun for me any more, because I’m too afraid to fail. The worst of it was in lockdown when I thought: this isn’t sustainable. I’m wishing my career away rather than loving it. In lockdown, I spent a lot more time with my own thoughts. There was so much instability.

This is part two of Women’s Football Weekend, which began with the Merseyside derby last night. Manchester United play West Ham at Old Trafford later, and then tomorrow lunchtime there’s the game of the weekend: Manchester City v Chelsea.

Risk vs reward department

If Katie McCabe is booked today, she’ll be suspended for next week’s match against Manchester City. Oh, and she’s playing on the same side as her old friend Ashleigh Neville.

“How does it feel to see D’Angelo in the lineup instead of Zinsberger?” says Zach Neeley. “Disconcerting. Better than seeing links to Arsenal’s prior thumpings of Spurs, most of the photos prominently featuring Miedema. Sigh.”

Spurs haven’t beaten Arsenal since turning pro in 2019, though they came closer than close – closer than you ever can imagine – last season, when Vivianne Miedema scored an injury-time header to give Arsenal a 1-1 draw.

Team news

Spurs’ interim manager Vicky Jepson makes a single change from last weekend’s win over Leicester: Celin Bizet is in for Nikola Karczewska.

Jonas Eidevall has picked an attacking Arsenal team, with Katie McCabe playing at left-back. There are three changes from the 1-0 defeat in Munich: Sabrina D’Angelo replaces Manuela Zinsberger in goal – this is her WSL debut – while Victoria Pelova and Lotte Wubben-Moy come in for Laura Wienrothier and Rafaelle. Jodie Taylor is among the subs.

Preamble

Hello and welcome to live coverage of Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal at Brisbane Road. The north London derby is usually all-consuming, but for Arsenal this game is almost – I said almost – a warm-up ahead of a potentially season-defining week.

On Wednesday they play Bayern Munich, with the chance to qualify for the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in a decade. Then, next Sunday, they host Manchester City in a match that is significant both to this year’s WSL and next year’s Champions League. Arsenal aren’t out of the WSL title race, not with all three of their rivals still to play, but for those games to matter they really need to take care of Spurs today.

This is the be-all and end-all for Spurs. Last week’s win over Leicester should ensure they won’t be dragged into a relegation battle, so this game exists in a bubble of local rivalry.

Spurs lost an alarming nine league matches in a row last weekend, which led to Rehanne Skinner being sacked, and the 2022-23 season has largely been a disaster. An historic first win over Arsenal would make it a whole lot better.

Kick off 3pm.