Arsenal Player Ratings vs Manchester City: Mead and McCabe Star In Opening Day Draw

Introduction

Arsenal Women played out a thrilling 1-1 draw with Manchester City in their Barclays Women's Super League opener on Saturday. The Gunners took the lead through a Stina Blackstenius header but were pegged back by a Khadija Shaw equalizer. Here are our player ratings from the match:

Player Ratings

### Goalkeeper

Manuela Zinsberger (6/10): Made a couple of good saves, but could do little about Shaw's goal.

### Defenders

Noelle Maritz (6/10): Solid defensively and got forward well.

Rafaelle Souza (7/10): Dominant in the air and made some key interceptions.

Leah Williamson (7/10): Captained the side well and was strong in the tackle.

Katie McCabe (8/10): Arsenal's best player. Ceased all attacking threat down the left and provided the assist for Blackstenius' goal.

### Midfielders

Frida Maanum (6/10): Worked hard in the engine room but lacked creativity.

Lia Walti (7/10): Always available to receive the ball and used it well.

Vivianne Miedema (6/10): Had a quiet game by her standards but still fired just wide in the first half.

### Forwards

Stina Blackstenius (7/10): Scored a fine header and was a handful for the City defense.

Beth Mead (8/10): Came off the bench and made an immediate impact, creating several chances and scoring a stunning equalizer.

### Substitutes

Jordan Nobbs (N/A): Played the last few minutes.

Laura Wienroither (N/A): Not enough time to make an impact.

Conclusion

It was a hard-fought point for Arsenal against a strong Manchester City side. The Gunners showed great character to come from behind and earn a draw. Beth Mead was the standout performer for Arsenal, while Katie McCabe also impressed. Arsenal will be looking to build on this result when they host Brighton & Hove Albion next weekend.