Arsenal Women will be looking to continue their 100% record in the Women's Super League this season when they travel to Villa Park on Saturday to face Carla Ward's side.

Aston Villa Women have also enjoyed an impressive start to their campaign, remaining unbeaten after the opening three games, currently sitting third in the table.

Match preview

Last time out, Villa goalkeeper Hannah Hampton kept her first clean sheet of the season and earned the Player of the Match award following her performance against Brighton & Hove Albion, a game which her side won by the scoreline 1-0.

Emily Gielnik scored her first goal for her new club after 48 minutes against the Seagulls, and Villa will view those three points as a big step forward, considering the equally impressive start Brighton have made to the season.

Ward's side have not created many chances in front of goal this season, despite managing to remain unbeaten with two wins and a draw, which does not stand them in good stead heading into this game against Arsenal, who will not gift Villa many chances.

Arsenal's North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur are the only other team in the WSL with nine points to their name at this stage, and Spurs were the opponents for the Gunners in the quarter-final of the FA Cup on Wednesday.

That game did not start how the hosts would have wanted it to as Rachel Williams put Rehanne Skinner's side 1-0 up, but Arsenal responded in the perfect manner and went on to book the place in the semi-final with a 5-1 win, courtesy of goals from Mana Iwabuchi, Nikita Parris, a brace from Caitlin Foord and an own goal from Jiali Tang.

It was the second game in a row that Jonas Eidevall's side have scored five goals, having defeated fellow title contenders Manchester City 5-0 at Borehamwood last weekend.

Vivianne Miedema, Katie McCabe, Leah Williamson and two from Kim Little secured that victory and ensured the Gunners topped the table on goal difference, making Arsenal early favourites for the WSL crown.

Having scored at least three goals in every game so far, the away side will be extremely confident heading into this clash with Aston Villa, who will be happy with the start that they have made to this campaign.

Arsenal are strong favourites for this clash, but Villa did earn an unlikely point at Borehamwood at the end of last season, when they played out a goalless draw against the Gunners.

Team News

Aston Villa youngster Freya Gregory was handed her first start of the season last time out against Brighton and she rewarded the manager for trusting her by providing the assist for Gielnik's winning goal, making the 18-year-old's case to start again this weekend stronger.

Meaghan Sargeant missed the West Ham fixture and was replaced by Elisha N'Dow in the heart of defence, but Sargeant made her return to the starting 11 last time out and she will continue in the centre-back role on Saturday.

Gielnik will be extremely pleased to have got off the mark at her new club, and she is expected to lead the line for Ward's side while Chloe Arthur and Remi Allen will continue in the middle of the pitch for the home team.

Arsenal's strength and depth allowed Eidevall to make eight changes for the FA Cup tie on Wednesday, including a full debut for new signing Tobin Heath after she made a short appearance late on against Man City.

Heath is expected to come into the starting lineup again on Saturday to make her full league debut, and the United States international is likely to take the place of McCabe, who has had an impressive start to the season.

The Gunners have an important Champions League fixture against the European champions Barcelona on Tuesday evening in gameweek one of the newly formatted group stages, and that may influence Eidevall's decisions when naming the team to face Villa this weekend.

Aston Villa Women possible starting lineup:
Hampton; Pacheco, Asante, Sargeant, Mayling; Arthur, Allen; Gregory, Boye-Hlorkah, Petzelberger; Gielnik

Arsenal Women possible starting lineup:
Zinsberger; Catley, Beattie, Williamson, Maritz; Maanum, Walti, Little; Heath, Miedema, Mead

We say: Aston Villa Women 0-3 Arsenal Women

Arsenal are strong favourites for this clash despite Aston Villa's positive start to the season, and the visitors will want to ease through this game before their Champions League campaign begins on Tuesday.

Taking that into consideration, expect a fast start from Arsenal which will help them assert their authority on the game early and should help them to a comfortable victory.

Previews by email