Lindsay Johnson
Ex-England defender on BBC Two

Gareth Taylor changing his formation.

We'll see what Lily Murphy can bring, she had a good evening midweek, let's see if she can replicate that this afternoon in this second half.

Aoba Fujino does well to get the run on Japan teammate Honoka Hayashi and get a cross into the box but it's caught easily by Courtney Brosnan.

The visitors are badly missing the presence of Bunny Shaw up top today.

After that poor first half Gareth Taylor has turned to his substitutes bench.

Alanna Kennedy has been replaced by youngster Lily Murphy.

The ball is back rolling.

Image source, Getty Images

Lindsay Johnson
Ex-England defender on BBC Two

I think Everton have got their game plan spot on. They have been compact in their defence, compact in their units, their distances have been spot on so Manchester City can't play in between.

Jess Park has been non existent. Mary Fowler has not been on the ball.

On the counter and in those transition periods Everton have looked smooth, slick and hungry.

Jen Beattie
Former Scotland defender on BBC Two

There are professional players in that dressing room for Manchester City and they'll be going in trying to see where they have gone wrong in this first half and understand there is still a lot of football left to be played.

They've got 45 minutes to turn this game around and maybe they did have one eye on Chelsea, seeing them drop points but they need three today so it's a big second half coming up.

Steph Houghton
Former Manchester City and England captain on BBC Two

You have to give full credit to Everton in terms of the way that they have set up and tried to play. They have got bodies forward and I think they have really caused Manchester City a problem in this first half

Back to Merseyside....

Here's the tale of the tape from that first half.

City dominant in possession but Everton far, far more efficient.

Image source, BBC Sport

In perhaps the most intriguing match of the afternoon, Arsenal travel to Merseyside to take on an underperforming Liverpool.

The Gunners have won their last three WSL games under interim boss Renee Slegers and are looking to keep hold of third place.

The Reds come into this game off the back of three losses and boss Matt Beard will be demanding a response.

Image source, Getty Images

WSL newcomers Crystal Palace are rock bottom of the table with just one win to their name and have conceded a league-high 25 goals.

Palace come into this match off the back of two defeats on the spin and will be attempting to breach a Man Utd defence that has conceded just three times.

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United

Manchester United are sat fourth in the WSL but have only won five of their nine games this season, prompting criticism from some of the club's fans for their style of play.

Ahead of the tie at Crystal Palace, boss Marc Skinner says he's "hardened" to it: "I don't think there's many managers that come under as much as I do. In that sense, I'm hardened to it. But there's a balance between hardening to it and also doing your job effectively and being human still."

Image source, Getty Images

Boss Rehanne Skinner said West Ham are "moving in the right direction" heading into the winter break.

The Hammers had a difficult start to the season but are full of confidence after three successive wins in all competitions.

Victory over Aston Villa will see West Ham head into the winter break five points clear of Sunday's opponents.

"We have dropped points in a couple of games we should have had more out of so we are a fraction behind where I wanted us to be at this point.

"They were tough games but across the board we have reduced the volume of goals we have conceded in comparison to last year. Our goal difference going the other way is improving game on game.

"We are moving in the right direction. We are going to go into this Christmas break in a very positive place."

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Aston Villa interim boss Shaun Goater says the club "needs to get results immediately" following the sacking of manager Robert de Pauw.

Villa are ninth in the Women's Super League table with one win from nine matches and they sit just one point above the relegation zone.

"We need to get results. This is our time. Everyone wants time, but in this situation here, we need to get results immediately," said Goater.

"It's a must-win because of where we are in the table. As a club, the aspirations are to be higher up and we've not had the start of the season we would have liked.

"We use the term 'must-win' and it is because we are better than we are. Therefore we need to show that, play with confidence and start to get results."

Crystal Palace boss Laura Kaminski has named an unchanged side to the one who lost 5-2 at West Ham last Sunday.

Crystal Palace XI: Yanez, Riley, Nolan, Everett, Veje, Woodham, Potter, Cato, Blanchard, Gejl, Stengel.

Subs: Majassari, Gibbons, Arthur, Sharpe, Weerden, Pritchard, Larkin, Atkinson.

Image source, BBC Sport

Marc Skinner has named an unchanged Man Utd starting XI after they beat Liverpool 4-0 last Sunday.

Man Utd XI: Tullis-Joyce, Riviere, Le Tissier, Turner, George, Miyazawa, Janssen, Geyse, Clinton, Galton, Terland.

Subs: Middleton-Patel, Mannion, Sandberg, Awujo, Ladd, Watson, Bizet, Marland, Williams.

Image source, BBC Sport

Aston Villa make three changes from their last WSL match, a 4-0 hammering by Arsenal.

Noelle Maritz, Kenza Dali and Adriana Leon are all given starts.

Aston Villa XI: D'Angelo, Maritz, Patten, Turner, Tomas, Staniforth, Nobbs, Leon, Dali, Salmon, Daly.

Subs: Poor, Mayling, Pacheco, Taylor, Kearns, Hanson, Grant, Nunes, Mullet.

Image source, BBC Sport

West Ham's last WSL game was a big 5-2 win over Crystal Palace. They make just one change as full-back Li Mengwen replaces Kirsty Smith.

West Ham XI: Szemik, Denton, Tysiak, Zadorsky, Mengwen, Piubel, Siren, Gorry, Asseyi, Pavi, Ueki.

Subs: M. Walsh, Smith, Bergman Lundin, Brynjarsdottir, Harries, Saez, Cooke, Houssin, S. Walsh.

Image source, BBC Sport

The action comes thick and fast today, with three more games to go.

Aston Villa v West Ham and Crystal Palace v Man Utd get under way at 14:00 GMT, while Arsenal's trip to Liverpool comes at 14:30 GMT.

Let's take a look at some team news and other updates from those games now.

And breathe.

Everton are just 45 minutes away from their first ever WSL points against Manchester City.

The title contenders have plenty of work to do.

Image source, Getty Images

City are all over the place.

Megan Finnigan picks out Katja Snoejis with a wonderful long ball over the top and Khiara Keating is forced to make a big stop to prevent a third Everton goal.