After a weekend with no women's football in England due to Storm Ciara, the FA Women's Super League is back during the week. We'll touch-up on the league's chaotic situation in terms of postponed games since the turn of the year and this week's match of the week, Liverpool vs Arsenal. It's an interesting matchday as the top-4 teams' match-up against the bottom-4. And at the middle of the table, Everton, Reading, Tottenham and West Ham will fight to stay away from the relegation zone and closer to the top-3.
Match of the Week – Liverpool vs Arsenal
You might be asking yourself, why would a matchup between third-placed Arsenal that is in bad form with eleventh-placed Liverpool be the "Match of the Week"? The response is simple. It's a must-win match for each side.
Arsenal sits in third place as we roll into matchday 16 despite spearheading the league three weeks prior. Loses to now top of the table Manchester City and an undefeated Chelsea team have taken six points and four goals from the Gunners.
Liverpool, on the other hand, has not played since January 19. The Reds' home match against Birmingham City on matchday 14 was postponed due to poor pitch conditions – something that we will be talking a lot about in this article – and players and staff have spoken up about it. In return, they will face Arsenal at Chester FC's Deva Stadium and not the traditional Tranmere Rover's Prenton Park.
Liverpool is second to last in this campaign but has the best goal differential out of the bottom six sides at -9. In other words, the team can defend but has difficulty scoring. Vicky Jepson's team has had defensive success against the top three. The team allowed only one goal in each match against Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City. Joe Montemurro knows about Liverpool's strong defense and will want to put an end to its good defensive run against top teams.
A win for Arsenal would keep hope amongst the team and fans for the title, while a Liverpool win would see them exit the relegation zone depending on Birmingham and Chelsea's result.
Liverpool vs Arsenal broadcast information
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Talk of the Week – Postponed matches
All six FA WSL Matchday 15 fixtures destined to be played on Sunday, February 9, were postponed due to treacherous weather. Similarly, the Premier League's fixture between Manchester City and West Ham at the Etihad was canceled on the same day. All because of a storm named Ciara which hit the United Kingdom with winds up to 80 mph (130km/h) damaging pitches and buildings and causing transport problems.
It is a shame given the fact that North London derby was a sold-out game and the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park was expected to attract over 20,000 spectators.
England was not the only European nation to have games rescheduled due to mother nature. Bundesliga and Eredivisie matches were also called off and the league's football associations also demanded amateur matches to be canceled.
Nevertheless, the FA WSL has now postponed 11 games in 2020 and it is only the second week of February. Yes, that is 11 out of 30, which is 37% of the matches since January 5. Six of those 11 matches happened on Sunday due to a potentially dangerous storm. That is What about the remaining five?
Well, on Matchday 11, West Ham players had the flu going around in their locker room causing their match against Everton to be postponed. The rest have happened due to poor pitch irrigation systems and overuse.
Games need to be played for the league to grow. Teams need to stop using third and fourth-tier men's club pitches and make their own designated for women's top-flight football.
Other news
Players who play for any Concacaf or Asian Football Association national teams will be absent due to Olympic qualifiers.
Everton has released the date for their first match in their new home, Walton Hall Park, which will be played on Sunday, February 23, against Manchester United.
Keira Walsh penned a three-year contract extension on Feb. 8 with Man City.
Nick Cushing will no longer be Manchester City's manager.
Kick-off time, date and broadcast channels of other FA WSL Matchday 16
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Brighton & Hove Albion 1 - 1 Manchester United
February 12, 2020 2:45pmThe People's Pension Stadium (Crawley, West Sussex)This match has ended. Below are the original Live broadcast details for this match.
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