Arsenal Women vs Chelsea Women Prediction and Betting Tips: Back Sam Kerr to star in huge WSL clash

The top two in the Women's Super League, Chelsea and Arsenal, lock horns in an eagerly anticipated encounter at the Emirates this Sunday lunchtime, live on BBC 2 (12.30pm).

Both teams are in superb form right now with all the signs pointing to a classic pre-Christmas clash in North London.

Chelsea, unbeaten in the WSL since March, lead the way at the top of the league ladder with a near-perfect 22 points from eight matches this term as they seek a fifth straight title in Emma Hayes' final campaign in the Blues dugout, with her troops a short-price at 4/9 to go on and win their seventh league crown under her watch.

Arsenal are second in the outright betting, 3/1, and second in the table. Since losing to Liverpool and drawing with Man Utd in their opening two games, The Gunners have been in red hot form, stamping eight straight wins on the board in all competitions.

Six of those victories have come in the league and if they puncture Chelsea's 15 match unbeaten record on Sunday then they'll join the defending champions on 22 points after nine games.

Midnight are offering odds of 29/20 for Arsenal to secure that prized win, Chelsea are available at 8/5 with the same bookmaker to surge six points clear at the summit, while a draw can be backed at 12/5 with William Hill.

Sam Kerr is in scintillating form. One of the greatest goalscorers of her, or any, generation has scored 11 goals in her last nine games for club and country, which includes two hat-tricks.

The Australian relishes the big occasion and has been an absolute eyesore for Sunday's opponents Arsenal, having scored in three of the four clashes between the two teams last season.

Kerr's goals are packaged in all shapes and sizes. Not only does she utilise her perfectly timed movement in the penalty box to tear apart bewildered defences with both her feet and head, but she also has a keen eye for a worldy finish, pertinently highlighted through a quite brilliant lob during the recent 4-1 rout of Paris FC in the Champions League.

Her current scoring streak, proficiency with either feet and notably her head combined with her ability to be the difference-maker and thrive in a match of this magnitude, makes the 6/4 on the striker to score in the 90 minutes appeal with William Hill.

While we like to dig deep for value here at BettingOdds.com, we also have a taste for the occasional eye-popping outside bet.

With that said, I will be have a small poke on a 90/1 double involving Chelsea's star duo of Sam Kerr and Lauren James.

I've already waxed lyrical about Kerr's goalscoring pedigree. Given her aerial expertise, I always keep an eye out for her odds to score a header, especially given that four of her last 11 goals for Chelsea have been scored via her head. 

On top of that, she bagged two headers against Arsenal last season, and has been priced up at 8/1 to add another this weekend.

I'll be combining this with Sky Bet's 10/1 offering of Lauren James to score from outside the penalty area to form a 90/1 double.

Like Kerr, James is enjoying a scorching hot streak in front of goal, having notched seven goals in her last five games for club and country, including a hat-trick against Liverpool last month.

James' ability from range is frightening. Just this week she scored twice from outside the box in England's 6-0 win at Scotland. In fact, her last five goals for her country have all been from distance and I wouldn't be surprised if she smashed in another from range on Sunday.