But when Paris do counter attack, they look like they can create!

A dangerous low cross from the right is met with a sweeping effort by Mariam Toloba, which is blocked.

Paris FC have won two of their opening three matches in Ligue 1 Feminin - but lost the other game 7-1 to OL Lyonnes.

That explains their ultra-defensive stance so far in this match.

Paris FC, when Arsenal get on the ball, are playing with a six-woman defensive line. They are getting every player behind the ball, happy to clear it to no-one as long as they can get the ball away.

Arsenal will have to break that blue wall down tonight.

Emily Fox does very well to win a tussle on the right and cuts in to the edge of the box, but her shot is blocked.

Paris then counter into Arsenal's now vacant right back area, but the Gunners defence recalibrates in time to cut out the chance.

Image source, Getty Images

Arsenal have settled into this match now and are dominating possession.

Possession has not been their issue this season though, it is end product which they have lacked.

A reminder that there is no Chloe Kelly in the Arsenal squad tonight.

Kelly reportedly has a minor injury, but she is also bang out of form this season - she has not registered a goal or assist yet.

That poor form has seen her dropped from the England squad announced this week.

Lucy Ward
Former Leeds striker on Disney+

I think the reason Renee Slegers has picked the same front three is because they need the attack to click.

They need confidence and chances which they haven't had this season.

Sian is backing Alessia Russo, but does Russo back herself?

She gets away from the defence in the Paris box and is in space to shoot - but instead tries to cut the ball back to Kim Little, and the pass is cut out.

The first shot of the game comes from Paris FC, as winger Mariam Toloba jinks down the outside before firing an effort straight at Misa Rodriguez.

The majority of noise at kick-off is being made by the away fans.

They still believe in their team, despite Arsenal's indifferent start to this season.

Our first match of the day is under way.

Right, prediction time.

If you think Arsenal will win here, thumbs up on this post. If you're backing Paris, thumbs down.

And here they come.

The homes fans wave dark blue flags - the colour of Paris' kits.

There is a small pocket of red-shirted away supporters tucked away in one corner.

Image source, Getty Images

The players are in the tunnel at Stade Jean Bouin.

Kick off is five minutes away.

Arsenal

Paris FC (a)

Benfica (h)

Barcelona (a)

Lyon (h)

Inter Milan (a)

Image source, Getty Images

Tonight England's number nine, Alessia Russo, appears to be playing in that position for Arsenal. That has not always been a given this season.

Only Manchester City striker Khadija Shaw scored more goals in the WSL than Russo's 13 last season and she was second in European competition, behind Barcelona's Ewa Pajor.

But manager Renee Slegers, who has often rotated Russo's position, has preferred her in the number 10 role at some point in all their WSL games so far this season.

It has not paid off for Russo, who is yet to get off the mark, despite attempting 11 shots, including 10 from inside the box.

In total, she has netted just three times in 507 minutes as an attacking midfielder, compared with the 21 she has scored in 2,913 minutes as a striker under Slegers.

Russo has created 1.42 chances per 90 minutes in the number 10 role, more than as a striker (1.27) but she has fewer shots and passes finishing in the final third, and fewer shots from inside the box.

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter

Successive league draws against Crystal Palace and Manchester United have dented Arsenal's start to the campaign.

Their slow starts have proven to be their undoing in previous campaigns as their search for another WSL title has gone on for seven years.

In that time, they have lifted the Women's Champions League and Women's Champions Cup, proving they have a squad capable of winning major trophies.

But it is the same story so far in 2026-27 as Arsenal's shooting boots have been missing and their lack of ruthlessness in front of goal has proven costly.

"We believe in the quality of the squad and their ideas. We can create in a variety of ways. When that starts clicking, it will be really good," said manager Renee Slegers after the draw with Man Utd

"It really is about the details in the final third."

Joe Bradshaw
BBC Sport senior journalist

With only two goals and five points from four WSL matches, it has been an inauspicious start to the season for Arsenal, who have been bullish in targeting trophies.

In Europe, against Danish minnows HB Koge, it was not just the Disney+ TV coverage of the game that was marred by glitches.

Arsenal's expected goals tally of 1.93 does not tell the story of a performance that was dominant with the ball, but they only fashioned two shots on target against a side they were expected to beat comfortably.

Boss Renee Slegers made a raft of changes, including resting Alessia Russo, but the eight forwards she ultimately featured struggled to breach the resolute visitors' backline, with the Gunners requiring a 95th-minute penalty to steal the points.

Dismissing lower-ranked teams at the start of competition has been an Achilles' heel for Arsenal and, while they did win, tougher tests await and Slegers needs to find a solution.