Questions loom over Chelsea Women’s limits this season. A unexpectedly hard-fought win against the third-best team in the Austrian Bundesliga midweek in the UEFA Women’s Champions League doesn’t inspire much confidence. It could be the case of playing with the handbrake on, something that won’t happen when we face Arsenal at home this weekend.
Date / Time: Sunday, September 27, 2026, 16.30 GMT; 11:30am EST
Venue: Stamford Bridge, SW6
Forecast: Light cloud and a gentle breeze
On TV: Sky One, Sky Sports
(UK); CBS Sports Golazo (USA); elsewhere Streaming: Sky GO (UK); Paramount+ (USA)
Chelsea team news: Those who thought Austria Wien came to London to do their best — and that best being avoiding getting beat to a pulp as we did with St. Pölten last season — were proven completely wrong. Goalkeeper Livia Peng was put to task to keep her clean sheet and our three points in the Champions League group stage until the final whistle.
Fitness updates from manager Sonia Bompastor were cryptic, as she didn’t provide any news on Lauren James and Keira Walsh’s status. That could mean they’re simply not ready to feature.
Arsenal team news: The Gunners are unbeaten this season but they also have issues of their own. Despite their best efforts they could only draw to Crystal Palace and Manchester United in their previous two league matches, and only a very late penalty converted by Mariona Caldentey got them a win over HB Køge in the Champions League.
They are luckier than Chelsea in injury terms. While they still have players such as goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar and defender Élisa De Almeida out of contention, the rest of the squad is healthy and fit.
Previously: Late Guro Reiten penalty to bring three points home.
