'Written in stars' for Miedema to score against Arsenal

Former England striker Ellen White feels it "is written successful nan stars" that Vivianne Miedema will people for Manchester City erstwhile they look her erstwhile broadside Arsenal successful their opening Women’s Super League lucifer of 2024-25.

Miedema, 28, scored 125 goals successful 172 appearances successful each competitions during a seven-season spell pinch nan Gunners and her full of 80 WSL goals is simply a convention record.

However, Arsenal made nan determination not to renew Miedema's contract, pinch City signing her successful nan summer aft she became a free agent.

But nan Netherlands world will make an instant return to Emirates Stadium connected Sunday arsenic Arsenal entertain City successful what promises to beryllium a thrilling opening WSL weekend, pinch kick-off astatine 12:30 BST.

"It'll beryllium different for her, it'd beryllium a small spot strange, but she seems for illustration she's happy and that's nan main point for Viv,” said White connected BBC Radio 5 Live's Women's Football Weekly.

"It's a full caller metropolis for her but nan players they've sewage location will beryllium astonishing successful helping her and you cognize really Man City activity arsenic a nine truthful she'll beryllium fine.

"I tin conscionable spot her scoring. It's written successful nan stars."

Miedema joined Arsenal successful 2017 from Bayern Munich and won nan WSL title pinch nan Gunners successful 2019, arsenic good arsenic 3 League Cup titles successful 2018, 2023 and 2024.

But she was constricted to conscionable 8 WSL appearances complete nan past 2 seasons aft she tore nan anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) successful her near knee successful December 2022.

In July this twelvemonth she signed a three-year woody pinch City.

Asked if she would observe scoring against Arsenal, she replied: "I ne'er observe anyhow truthful it's not overmuch of a information for me.

"Going backmost will beryllium very different and possibly astatine times difficult but astatine nan aforesaid clip I'm looking guardant to it.

"I spent 7 years astatine Arsenal and ever had a really bully relationship pinch nan fans and I admit really good they are doing for Arsenal arsenic a club.

"It's a caller era successful nan WSL for maine astatine Manchester City truthful location are plentifulness of things to look guardant to."

Miedema felt joining City was a straightforward determination and added: "For maine shot has ever been really important but I person only made my shot decisions based connected 2 things – my happiness disconnected nan transportation and connected it.

"When I said to [City manager] Gareth [Taylor] I knew nan shot was going to beryllium fine. I'm still surviving successful nan UK, London is 2 hours distant truthful it's nan cleanable step. I've really settled successful connected nan transportation and starting to get to cognize nan girls disconnected nan pitch.

"Putting 1 and 1 together made this a very easy determination successful nan end."

City came 2nd successful nan WSL past season, missing retired connected nan title connected extremity quality to Chelsea, pinch Arsenal finishing third, 5 points behind.

Taylor felt Miedema's signing and her versatility made his squad stronger.

"We're pleased,” Taylor told 5 Live. "Viv, we're moving connected her successful a number of positions and we cognize what she tin bring. She has been known arsenic a number 9 aliases personification who plays down a striker.

"So erstwhile you person these options astatine nan apical extremity of transportation for illustration Mary fowler, Aoba Fujino, Chloe Kelly, Lauren Hemp, Bunny Shaw and players for illustration Viv, Jessie Park, Laura Coombs, Jill Roord, Laura Blindkilde Brown, we've sewage talented players that tin bring different options truthful we've strengthened a small spot successful that area."

Former Scotland defender Jen Beattie, who won nan WSL title pinch some Arsenal and Manchester City, expects Miedema to beryllium a occurrence astatine her caller club.

"It was really absorbing listening to Gareth and explaining her different roles that she tin play connected nan pitch, number nine, successful nan 10, because she was starting to create playing successful a deeper domiciled overmuch much towards nan extremity astatine Arsenal," said Beattie.

"Seven years is simply a agelong clip to beryllium astatine nan aforesaid club, surviving successful nan aforesaid place, being astir nan aforesaid unit and group truthful it's OK to opportunity it mightiness return a spot of time, but she'll get there.

"We each cognize really awesome a nine Man City is, it's sewage a awesome group of group and she is going to emotion it."