Slegers backs Arsenal to make up 11-point gap to the WSL summit

  /  autty

Renee Slegers remained optimistic about Arsenal's chances of challenging for the Women's Super League title despite being 11 points behind leaders Manchester City. 

Arsenal are in action on Wednesday when they welcome bottom-of-the-table Leicester City to Emirates Stadium as they look to play catch-up in the top flight.  

The Gunners know a victory will take them above Manchester United and into third, while also boasting two games in hand on defending champions Chelsea and the Citizens. 

However, the title is firmly within City's reach, with Andree Jeglertz's side six points ahead of Chelsea despite suffering a shock defeat to Brighton in their last league match. 

Should Arsenal win their games in hand, they would be two points adrift of the summit, and Slegers is not ruling out the chance of a first top-flight title since 2018-19. 

"Of course, we follow the league because it's our context," Slegers said. "We look at what's happening around us.

"At the same time, we're so focused on ourselves. We know we have three games in hand. They're all difficult, challenging games. We have to look at what we can do.

"As long as it's theoretically possible, we'll push everything we can. Again, that starts with us and what we can do. That starts on Wednesday."

The Opta supercomputer has assigned Arsenal a 4.5% chance of reaching the top of the pile, though their most likely position is second (71.5%) in its season simulations with City the overwhelming favourites at 95.5%. 

But Arsenal will be confident of picking up a win against a Leicester side that have lost each of their nine WSL meetings with the Gunners by an aggregate score of 4-33. 

Slegers' side are also unbeaten in each of their last 12 WSL games (W9 D3), last having a longer run without defeat in the same league campaign in 2013 (13 games).

Arsenal remain unbeaten in each of their last 17 WSL home games (W14 D3) and could equal their longest ever streak without defeat in the competition on home turf, set in both November 2018 and October 2022. 

They face Brighton, Aston Villa, Everton and Liverpool in their final four league games, all of which come after the second leg of their Champions League semi-final with Lyon on Saturday, where they lead the tie 2-1. 

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