While Chelsea were unbeaten at the start of the 2025-26 campaign and sit top of the WSL table, Arsenal have been less fortunate.
The Gunners’ title hopes suffered an early blow with a defeat to 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 their first league title since 2019.
While they have had a shaky start to the season, the Gunners have strengthened in the summer and Slegers have a deeper squad to challenge the reigning champions.
Arsenal will also regain confidence from their triumphant run in the Champions League last season, when they beat eight-time winners Lyon and favorites Barcelona to lift the only trophy Chelsea have yet to win.
Former Gunners defender Jen Beattie says Arsenal have the players to cause problems for Chelsea.
“I think they have more than enough quality in their team to [win]” she told the Women’s Football Weekly podcast.
“We’ve seen that in the last 12 months, of course: the important thing is whether they do it tactically well.”
Slegers will also be aware that Bopastor’s team does not look invincible this season.
The Blues overcame a slow start to beat Aston Villa and narrowly edged out Leicester, while dropping points in a surprise draw against Dutch side Twente in their Women’s Champions League opener.
Calling Chelsea’s unbeaten run “ridiculous”, former England striker Ellen White added: “It’s 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, improve and really start their season.”
But if the Gunners fail to pick up points on Saturday, White says the title, which they last won in 2019, will once again be “out of reach”.
