Gareth Taylor’s side lock horns with Jonas Eidevall’s team in the curtain raiser on Sunday 22 September, with kick-off scheduled for 12:30 (UK).
It represents the first time we’ll have played the north Londoners at the 60,704 capacity arena since our professional relaunch in 2014.
Last term, we beat Arsenal 1-0 in the FA Cup but lost 2-1 in our two encounters with them in the capital, with both being played at Borehamwood’s Meadow Park.
But Houghton believes our blisteringly quick and clinical attacking contingent will relish the opportunity to play at the Emirates in pursuit of a positive result.
“For us, I think it’s important to use the space,” she explained.
“It’ll probably suit us because we’ve got really quick players up top. You look at the likes of Hempo, Chloe [Kelly] and Bunny [Shaw] who has been prolific for last season and hopefully does the same this season.
“We’ve got players who love the ball and who love being able to play passes. I always find it quite interesting in terms of that control element and it’s normally genuinely the team who gets control of the football straight away that probably has a bit more success in an Arsenal v City game.
“There have been some mad games in the years I’ve played where people have played unbelievable, but I think it’s more about the team.
“If they play the tactics well and we play the style we want to play, hopefully we’ll get control of the football.”
Watch Houghton’s full Arsenal preview in the video player above!
