Arsenal Held by Birmingham City as Historic Winless Run Stretches to Five WSL Matches

Arsenal's Woes Worsen With Another Frustrating Draw

Arsenal's difficult start to the 2026-27 Women's Super League season showed little sign of improving on Matchday 6, as the Gunners were held to a 1-1 draw by promoted Birmingham City at home. Familiar issues at both ends of the pitch again came to the fore, and the result extended Arsenal's winless run to five WSL matches — the longest such streak in the club's history.

While the Gunners dominated stretches of possession, they lacked the cutting edge to turn pressure into goals and were exposed defensively. They are now also without a win in their last two league meetings with promoted opposition — their longest such run against promoted teams in the competition.

Attacking Frustration Reaches New Levels

There was a sense of inevitability about Arsenal's attacking struggles. They have scored just five goals in six league matches this season, and no WSL side has found themselves in a more frustrating position in front of goal. Arsenal are the only team that have hit the woodwork (5) as many times as they have scored goals (also 5).

They have now gone four consecutive home league games without scoring in the first half for the first time since a five-match run between April and October 2023.

When Arsenal did finally find the net, it came through Olivia Smith's excellent finish from distance, a goal met almost with relief among the home support. It was Smith's first WSL goal since March and ended the longest league scoring drought of her career, at 12 matches.

Birmingham's Back Line Makes WSL History

Birmingham City's disciplined defence repeatedly withstood Arsenal pressure, with all four members of the visitors' back line recording 11 or more clearances: Millie Turner (12), Shannon Cooke (12), Rebecca McKenna (11) and Neve Herron (11). It is the first time in WSL history that four players from the same team have each made at least 11 clearances in a single match — a statistic that highlights Arsenal's inability to break down teams defending in a low block.

A Start That Bodes Ill for the Title Race

With just six points from their opening six matches, this is Arsenal's second-worst start to a WSL campaign, better only than their four-point return in 2014. No side has gone on to win the WSL title after collecting as few as six points from their first six matches.