20 March 2005
Everton v Arsenal: FA Cup Semi-Final Highlights
Watch action from last year's FA Cup Semi-Final as Everton beat Arsenal 3-0 at Southport.

Everton v Arsenal
FA Women's Premier League
12.30pm, Sunday 30 October 2005
Marine FC, Crosby

After playing together in England’s record-breaking 13-0 win against Hungary on Thursday, the squad’s large contingent of Everton and Arsenal players are set to line up against each other on Sunday in a vital FA Nationwide Women’s Premier League clash.

Each club had four players in the England starting line-up, and in addition Everton had three on the substitutes’ bench.

“These situations are a bit strange,” said Arsenal central defender Mary Phillip. “We’ve got a great team spirit in the England camp and the players get on really well, but we’ll all be back in club mode on Sunday and the only thing we’ll be thinking about is trying to take three points off each other.”

Phillip captained England on Thursday in the absence of the injured Faye White, whose place alongside her club colleague in the England defence was taken by Everton’s Lindsay Johnson.

“It wasn’t the busiest of games for defenders on Thursday,” said Phillip, “but concentration was vital and it was my job to keep everyone focused and driving forward.

"Concentration is going to be just as important on Sunday, but this time because it will be a much tighter match with both sides going for the win.”

Arsenal need a victory to start bridging the gap on Everton, who are top of the table by a point from Charlton Athletic and five ahead of Arsenal, though the Gunners have three games in hand.

On the last occasion that the two teams met Everton sprung an FA Cup surprise by beating the favourites in last season’s semi-final.

That will help Everton’s confidence as they prepare for Sunday’s big match says striker Jody Handley, one of England’s scorers in Thursday’s massive win in Hungary.

“We know we are capable of beating them,” she said, “and we’ll be spurred on by the memory of the semi-final and also hopefully with a big crowd behind us.

“What we did to Arsenal in the Cup means nothing now, though, and we’ll be taking nothing for granted because Arsenal are a top quality side.

“We need the points and it’s almost a must-win game for us, because if we lose that will leave us relying on the results of other teams and we know that Arsenal and Charlton are unlikely to drop points against the sides lower down the table.”

Everton recently lost to Charlton while Arsenal, in their last League game, had to come from behind to force a somewhat fortuitous 3-3 draw with the Addicks.

All of the Gunners’ goals on that occasion came from striker Kelly Smith, who ahead of Sunday’s game at Everton admitted: “We were very lucky to get a point at Charlton.

“They could have been four goals up by half-time and that would have been too much for us to pull back, but they didn’t capitalise on their chances and it really cost them.

“Now we need to win at Everton, but even if we do that it will still be tight at the top. All three of the leading teams have dropped points and I think it will stay very competitive, so hopefully on Sunday we can give ourselves a boost by taking all three points.”

Entry to the match is free of charge but fans who purchase a matchday programme, just £1, will automatically be entered into a free prize draw for the chance to win a Canon camera. 

There is no charge for tickets, although they must be collected in advance from Liverpool FA.