Arsenal vs Lyon match facts

Arsenal, who have reached the quarter-finals in every one of their 14 previous European campaigns, are poised to extend that remarkable record. They lead Group C by three points from Lyon as they host the defending champions in north London on Matchday 5, and will clinch qualification if they avoid defeat by four goals or more.

The Gunners produced one of the most stunning results in UEFA Women's Champions League history on Matchday 1 when they beat Lyon 5-1 in France, Jonas Eidevall's team inflicting the heaviest European defeat on the eight-time champions as goals from Caitlin Foord (13, 67), Frida Maanum (23) and now-injured Beth Mead (45 and 69) made the Londoners the first away side to score five in a competitive match in Lyon.

The margin of victory is why they could afford a three-goal loss at home and still be sure of progress with a match to spare. Arsenal will be confirmed in first place if they avoid defeat.

The Division 1 Féminine outfit, who extended their record trophy haul in this competition to eight last season with a 3-1 final success against Barcelona in Turin, had never lost their opening game in a European campaign. It was their first meeting with Arsenal since 2010/11, when they had prevailed in the semi-finals en route to lifting their first European title (2-0 h, 3-2 a). Lyon were unbeaten in five matches against the Gunners until that Matchday 1 reverse (W4 D1).

Arsenal, who last won the FA Women's Super League in 2018/19, missed out by a point to Chelsea last term while reaching a competition-record 14th European quarter-final, where they were eliminated 3-1 on aggregate by Wolfsburg (1-1 h, 0-2 a).

The Gunners confirmed their group stage place this season with a narrow round 2 victory against last season's Eredivisie runners-up Ajax, triumphing 1-0 in Duivendrecht thanks to a Vivianne Miedema strike after they had been held 2-2 at home in the first leg.

After that remarkable start to Group C in France, Eidevall's side added another win, 3-1 at home to FC Zürich, before taking four points off Juventus with a 1-1 draw in Turin and a 1-0 win in London, Miedema scoring in both matches.

Lyon not only extended their record trophy haul in this competition last season but also claimed their 15th French league title in 16 seasons, finishing 11 points clear of nearest rivals Paris Saint-Germain.

They followed up that opening Group C reverse against Arsenal by dropping further points in a 1-1 draw at Juventus, but back-to-back wins against Zürich (3-0 a, 4-0 h) enabled them to leapfrog the Italian champions into second place. The home win against Zürich, which featured two headed goals from Melvine Malard, was Lyon's 100th in Europe, the first club to reach a century of UEFA women's competition victories.

Lyon will go through on Matchday 5 if they beat Arsenal and Juventus do not win against eliminated Zürich. Otherwise it all goes down to Lyon-Juventus on Matchday 6.

Players to watch

Leah Williamson

Williamson was the captain of the England team that won UEFA Women's EURO 2022 on home soil, playing every minute of the six matches and earning a place in the official Team of the Tournament.

The midfielder-turned-central defender has spent her entire career with Arsenal, whose academy she joined at the age of nine.

She has won one FA Women's Super League title with the Gunners, in 2018/19, as well as two FA Women's Cups.

The 25-year-old from Milton Keynes has appeared in 15 European matches, scoring one goal. She missed Arsenal's first three Group C games with a foot injury.

A fringe player for England at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, she was appointed as Lionesses captain in April 2022, leading the country to EURO glory at Wembley three months later.

Wendie Renard

A living Lyon legend, 32-year-old Renard has spent her entire career with the French club, amassing 32 major trophies, including 15 Division 1 Féminine titles.

The central defender has been involved in all eight of Lyon's UEFA Women's Champions League successes, appearing in a record ten finals.

Renard is the only player to have reached a century of UEFA Women's Champions League appearances, her record now standing at 106 after her four group stage outings so far in 2022/23.

The Lyon captain has also scored 32 European goals, including one in the 2011 final, a 2-0 victory against Turbine Potsdam.

A France international since 2011, she has accumulated 138 caps, scoring 33 goals, and has competed at eight major tournaments, captaining the team in four of them.

Key facts

The Gunners have failed to score in only two of their last 23 UEFA Women's Champions League matches.

Arsenal have scored three or more goals in five of their last nine group stage fixtures.

Lyon have failed to score in just one of their last 41 European games – a 1-0 loss at Bayern München in last season's group stage.

This is the first season in which Lyon failed to win either of their opening two European fixtures. Indeed, they won both of their first two in all 15 previous campaigns.

The French club's Matchday 1 defeat by Arsenal was one of just two defeats in their 12 UEFA Women's Champions League matches against English clubs (W7 D3). They have never lost an away game in England (W3 D2).

Lyon and Arsenal are the only two teams that have played more than 100 matches in UEFA competition. This is the 128th for the French side and the 103rd for their English hosts.