Victory would put the League champions within three points of leaders Charlton Athletic, who have no weekend fixture.

In their last five League and Cup outings they have hit the net 24 times without reply, in the process reaching the final of the Premier League Cup as well as putting themselves within striking distance of the National Division summit.

And Smith, who is in the final stages of recovery from an injury that has restricted her club and international appearances through much of 2005, will be after further goals as the Gunners look to make it six wins in a row.

The 27 year-old striker, enjoying her longest run of games for five years following a succession of serious injuries, said: “Things are going so well at the moment that I don’t want a Christmas break!

“Regaining fitness has been a long, hard process but now I’m back to enjoying training as well as playing. I’m also hitting form and scoring goals, so I’d rather be playing matches than taking a couple of weeks off.

Victory this weekend would mean a satisfactory end to what has not always been a happy first full year back in English football for Smith, who had spent the previous seven years playing in America.

Despite some low periods in a year where she was not 100% fit at Euro 2005, she is in a happy frame of mind as she looks ahead to what could be a tumultuous 2006.

As well as gunning for League and Cup glory with Arsenal Smith will be hoping to help England qualify for the 2007 Women’s World Cup finals.

“It’s been a great end to the year for me,” she said, “and there’s so much to look forward to next year. For one thing I’ve never played in a Cup final in England, so the League Cup final in March is a game I really want to play in.

“I’d love to play in The FA Women's Cup final as well, but there’s a long way to go in that competition just as there is in our World Cup campaign. We’ve made a great start by winning our first three games though, and that’s built up confidence in the squad.

“Our next game, against France in March, will be massive because they’re the group favourites. But they’ve lost a game, so if we win this one we’ll be six points ahead of them – and that would set us up beautifully for the rest of the campaign.”