Arsenal booed off after Birmingham draw leaves Slegers under growing pressure

Arsenal were held to a 1-1 draw by Birmingham City at the Emirates Stadium, stretching their winless Women’s Super League run to five games and intensifying scrutiny on head coach Renee Slegers.

The Gunners have not won in the WSL since the opening day of the season, and the result drew audible boos from the home crowd at full time. Arsenal could fall as many as 12 points behind leaders Manchester City if the champions beat Brighton, leaving them almost certainly out of the title race before the autumn is out.

Olivia Smith’s stunning strike rescued a share of the spoils after Oceane Hurtre had put Birmingham in front eight minutes into the second half. Alessia Russo had earlier struck the crossbar late in the first half, a moment that summed up Arsenal’s frustrating afternoon in front of goal.

Slegers guided Arsenal to the Women’s Champions League final in 2025, but the club has been unable to translate that European momentum into a domestic title challenge across the two WSL seasons since. The pressure on the Dutch coach is now tangible, with supporters making their feelings clear at the final whistle.

Arsenal’s next fixture takes them to north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, a derby they will enter trailing Spurs by at least four points in the table — a position that would have been unthinkable at the start of the campaign.