Arsenal W vs Everton W: WSL Showdown at Emirates Stadium

Emirates Stadium hosts a late-season FA WSL fixture on 13 May 2026, with Arsenal W chasing a top-three finish and Champions League qualification, and Everton W trying to cement safety in mid-table. Arsenal arrive in London as one of the division’s form sides, sitting 3rd with 45 points from 20 matches, while Everton are 8th on 20 points and still looking for consistency.

League context and form

In the league, Arsenal’s campaign has been built on control and balance. They have lost only once in 20 matches (13 wins, 6 draws, 1 defeat), scoring 49 and conceding just 13 for a goal difference of +36. At home they are unbeaten: 10 games, 7 wins, 3 draws, 27 goals for and only 6 against. Their overall form line of “WDWWW” underlines how strong they have been in recent weeks.

Everton’s picture is very different. They sit 8th with 20 points from 20 games, a goal difference of -12, and a record of 6 wins, 2 draws and 12 defeats. Away from home, however, they have been more competitive: 4 wins, 2 draws and 4 losses on their travels, with 14 goals scored and 14 conceded. Their current form line of “LLLWW” shows a side that has strung together wins but is coming into this match off a run of defeats.

Arsenal’s season statistics underline their superiority “across all phases”. They average 2.5 goals scored per match and only 0.7 conceded. At Emirates Stadium that rises to 2.7 scored and 0.6 conceded. They have kept 10 clean sheets in 20 league games and failed to score only 3 times. Their biggest home win is 7-0, and they have yet to lose at home.

Everton average 1.2 goals scored and 1.8 conceded per game. At home they have struggled badly (2 wins, 8 losses, 10-22 goals), but their away figures – 1.4 scored and 1.4 conceded on average – show a more solid, counter-attacking outfit. They have kept 3 clean sheets in total and failed to score in 4 league matches.

Tactical shapes and likely approaches

The data points to Mikel-esque control from Arsenal. Their most-used shape is 4-2-3-1 (9 league matches), with occasional switches to 4-4-2, 4-3-3 and 4-1-4-1. That flexibility, combined with high goal output and a strong clean-sheet record, suggests a side comfortable dominating territory and possession, pressing high and sustaining attacks.

Everton have leaned most heavily on 4-4-2 (8 matches), with 4-2-3-1 and 4-1-4-1 also in their toolkit. Away from home, the 4-4-2 base lends itself to a compact mid-block and quick transitions, something that has underpinned their better away record.

At Emirates Stadium, expect Arsenal to monopolise the ball, push full-backs high and keep Everton penned in for long stretches. The visitors are likely to defend in two banks of four, protect central spaces and look to exploit any gaps left when Arsenal commit numbers forward.

Key players and attacking threats

Arsenal’s attack is spread across a deep pool of talent, but the numbers highlight a few standouts:

• Alessia Russo is Arsenal’s leading WSL scorer in 2025 with 6 goals and 2 assists in 19 appearances. Her 7.45 average rating, 32 shots (22 on target) and 16 key passes reflect a centre-forward who combines finishing with link play. Her duels (128 contested, 63 won) show how central she is to Arsenal’s pressing and hold-up game.
• Stina Blackstenius adds a different threat. With 5 goals and 2 assists from only 467 minutes, she offers impact either from the start or off the bench. Her 26 shots (14 on target) and 8 key passes make her a constant penalty-box presence and a dangerous runner in behind.
• Olivia Smith has 4 goals and 2 assists from midfield, with a 7.31 rating. She has 19 key passes, 11 successful dribbles from 21 attempts, and 51 duels won, indicating a creative, ball-carrying midfielder who can break lines and arrive late in the box.
• Chloe Kelly also sits on 4 goals and 1 assist from limited minutes (299), with 11 shots and 6 on target. Her 80% passing accuracy and 5 key passes point to a wide forward who can both create and finish, especially in one‑v‑one situations.

For Everton, the standout figure is:

• Honoka Hayashi, with 4 league goals from midfield in 17 appearances. She has completed 335 passes at 86% accuracy and contributed 11 interceptions and 11 tackles, underlining her dual role as a key ball-winner and late runner into attacking zones.

Both teams show 1 successful penalty in the team stats this season, with no recorded misses, but none of the highlighted key players have scored from the spot in the data provided.

Head-to-head: Arsenal dominance, but not all one-way

The last five competitive WSL meetings between these sides show Arsenal’s clear edge:

1. 13 December 2025, Goodison Park (Liverpool): Everton W 1-3 Arsenal W – Arsenal win.
2. 14 March 2025, Walton Hall Park (Liverpool): Everton W 1-3 Arsenal W – Arsenal win.
3. 6 October 2024, Emirates Stadium (London): Arsenal W 0-0 Everton W – Draw.
4. 28 April 2024, Walton Hall Park (Liverpool): Everton W 1-1 Arsenal W – Draw.
5. 20 January 2024, Meadow Park (Borehamwood): Arsenal W 2-1 Everton W – Arsenal win.

Across these five league fixtures, Arsenal have 3 wins, Everton have 0, and there have been 2 draws. Arsenal have scored 9 goals to Everton’s 4 in this sequence. Notably, Everton have managed to take points in two of the last three meetings, both draws, including a 0-0 at Emirates Stadium in October 2024.

Psychologically, Arsenal carry the confidence of repeated wins away at Everton, but Jonas Eidevall’s side will be mindful that Everton have shown they can frustrate them in London.

Defensive dynamics and game rhythm

Arsenal’s defensive record is one of the best in the division: 13 conceded in 20 games, with 10 clean sheets. They have never conceded more than 2 at home this season, and their biggest away defeat (3-2) is the only loss on their record. Their yellow-card distribution is fairly even across the match, with a slight uptick late on (26.32% of yellows between minutes 76-90), suggesting intense late-game pressure and counter-pressing.

Everton concede 1.8 goals per game overall and 1.4 away. They have only 3 clean sheets and have conceded up to 4 in their heaviest defeats. Their yellow cards are heavily concentrated between minutes 46-90, with 60% of bookings coming in the second half, which could matter if they are forced into prolonged defending against Arsenal’s rotations and overloads.

Without injury data, we must assume both squads are broadly at their usual strength based on the statistics provided.

The verdict

All available data points to Arsenal as strong favourites at Emirates Stadium. They are unbeaten at home, have the joint-best defensive metrics in this matchup, and possess multiple in-form attacking options in Alessia Russo, Stina Blackstenius, Olivia Smith and Chloe Kelly. Their 4-2-3-1 base, high scoring rate (2.7 goals per home game) and 10 clean sheets across the season suggest they can both control the game and limit Everton’s chances.

Everton’s hope lies in their relatively solid away record (4 wins, 2 draws, 4 losses) and their recent ability to take points off Arsenal in two of the last three head-to-heads. If they can keep the game compact in a 4-4-2, lean on Honoka Hayashi’s work between the lines and strike on transitions, they are capable of making it competitive.

However, with Arsenal chasing maximum points to lock in Champions League qualification and boasting a formidable home record, the balance of probabilities leans towards a home win, most likely in a match where Arsenal’s attacking depth eventually breaks down Everton’s resistance.