Powell: Arsenal will have a point to prove

Hope Powell is wary that Arsenal will have a point to prove after their last trip to The People’s Pension Stadium and look to avenge their Continental League Cup penalty shootout defeat back in November.

James Hilsum

2020-01-13T08:00:00Z

Hope Powell speaks to the media ahead of Sunday's game.

Albion recorded a memorable 4-2 win on spot-kicks against Joe Montemurro’s star-studded squad, and the Seagulls manager says her team will need to produce a similar display again to have a chance of causing another upset.

She said, “The expectation is that they will win the game as they’re top of the league at the moment, and they have so much quality and depth in their team.

“It’s going to be tough and after we beat them in the Continental Cup, they’ll come back and want to right that wrong.

“When we played them at their ground, we were poor, so we have to do better than that, perform well, compete and keep going.

“But on the flip side, who would’ve predicted that Bristol would beat Man United, we’d get a point off Chelsea or that we’d beat Arsenal in the Conti Cup? Anything is possible, and what we want to do is show another good account of ourselves.”

The Brighton & Hove Albion boss spoke to the media ahead of the the club's Women's Super League clash with Arsenal.

One of Arsenal’s biggest threats will be Vivianne Miedema, who has scored an astonishing 24 goals in 16 appearances in all competitions this season, and Powell highlighted the importance of giving the Netherlands international the respect she deserves.

“We have to recognise what her qualities are and what she’s good at. She’s in and out of the game very cleverly, not because she doesn’t want to be, but because she chooses her moments to get involved.

“When defenders think she’s not interested, that’s when she comes alive. She’s very clever and for any defender that comes up against her, it’s about concentrating for 90 minutes.

“Even if the ball is at the other end of the pitch and she doesn’t seem interested, we have to be mindful she will come alive in the moments where no-one expects.”

Albion have completed the signing of Cecilie Fiskerstrand.

The Albion manager also spoke about the recent arrival of Norway international goalkeeper Cecilie Fiskerstrand, as well as the new contract awarded to Megan Walsh, and how the competitions for places in goal will spur on all of her shot-stoppers.

“We’re really delighted to bring in Cecilie, and Alex Penny, our goalkeeping coach, has been tracking her progress for a while.

“She’s a very good addition and add to the competition for places among the goalkeepers. We already have two very good goalkeepers, but you always need a third, because it adds a bit of strength in that department.

“Giving Megan Walsh a new contract was also very important to ensure we have three top-class goalkeepers, including Sophie Harris.

“We now have three very good goalkeepers, and there is some brilliant competition for places.”