Women's Super League

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Everton Women are set to play back-to-back home fixtures at Goodison Park for the first time in November.

The Blues will play against Chelsea at Goodison on 3 November before hosting the Merseyside Derby against Liverpool two weeks later on 16 November.

Everton were watched on by 9,457 fans when they last played in the stadium in an uneventful 0-0 draw against Liverpool in March.

This is Everton's last season at Goodison Park, with the club set to move into a new 52,888-capacity ground at Bramley-Moore Dock for the start of the 2025-26 campaign.

Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Women's Super League game against West Ham at Emirates Stadium (kick-off 13:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Eidevall criticised the WSL for not being "proactive" with fixture scheduling in regards to Women's Champions League games after Chelsea's league game against Manchester United was postponed, calling their behaviour "amateurish".

• Laura Wienroither will miss Sunday's game with a "minor injury", but both Leah Williamson and Steph Catley "have the potential" to make the squad.

• Eidevall said there were "a lot of positives" to take from the 1-0 win over Leicester on Sunday but also "things we should be doing better as well".

• On Frida Maanum, he said: "We worked a lot with her and she has worked a lot on the training pitch. She is very ambitious."

• Asked whether the WSL is getting stronger, Eidevall said: "Every team is strengthening year after year. You compare Leicester's squad to two or three seasons ago, there is a massive difference. It's such an evolving league. That is why it is so exciting to be a part of the league."

• With five games in the 15 days, he said it is going to be "crucial" to manage the squad properly.

• Eidevall said Kyra Cooney-Cross has "developed really well", adding: "Kyra is still a young player. She has parts in her game that she should develop but she is working really hard on it."

Leicester City boss Amandine Miquel has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Women's Super League game against Crystal Palace (kick-off 15:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from her news conference:

• Shannon O'Brien is "weeks rather than days" away from a return from injury.

• Miquel insists Leicester City will not underestimate Crystal Palace just because they have not picked up any points or scored yet this season.

• Changes are still being made at Leicester and Miquel says it will take time for her management style to be implemented.

• "If I could change a team in three games, then maybe I would be receiving a lot more coins from different clubs! No, it will take some more time. I’m not a magician. We have seen already things changing - but it takes time to adapt," she adds.

• Miquel was pleased with the performance of the team in the Women's League Cup as she was able to see different players and formations, including plenty of youngsters, in their 1-1 draw with Bristol City.

Manchester City boss Gareth Taylor has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Women's Super League game against West Ham (kick-off 13:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Leila Ouahabi is back in contention after sustaining an injury in City's season opener against Arsenal.

• On Jill Roord's return from an ACL injury, Taylor said they need to manage her minutes but that "she looks better than I've ever seen her".

• Going into a Champions League week is "exciting", but Taylor says his "full focus" is against West Ham rather than Barcelona.

• He said City will be "under no illusions" that West Ham will be "difficult to play against".

• Asked whether Yui Hasegawa is one of the best midfielders in the world, Taylor said: "When you're talking about holding midfielders, she is certainly in that ballpark".

• Taylor said the football calendar was starting to become "a bit dangerous" and if he was in the same position as Chelsea, with a WSL game scheduled on a Sunday before a Tuesday-night Champions League match, that he would also want the WSL fixture to be postponed.

Crystal Palace boss Laura Kaminski has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Women's Super League game against Leicester City (kick-off 15:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from her news conference:

• On-loan defender Brooke Aspin returns to the Crystal Palace squad after serving her suspension against parent club Chelsea last weekend.

• Kaminski was pleased with Palace's performance on Wednesday despite a 2-0 defeat by Aston Villa, with goals conceded in the last 10 minutes.

• She says it shows "progression" as they were able to "compete for longer periods" and they still remain new to the league.

• Despite not scoring a goal yet this season, Kaminski says her players are still "confident" and "hungry to score".

• She adds: "It is a matter of time. It’s a good balance between being frustrated and motivated. That’s key on the pitch. If you’re not creating chances, that’s when you get concerned. But in every game we are creating chances."

• Kaminski says Leicester look "organised" under new manager Amandine Miquel and is expecting "a very tough afternoon".

• She also insists not every performance needs to be "beautiful football" but results will come if her team continue to improve.

West Ham boss Rehanne Skinner has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Women's Super League game against Manchester City (kick-off 13:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from her news conference:

• Defender Kirsty Smith remains absent as she continues her recovery from a shoulder issue. She is expected to return to full training next week.

• Skinner says West Ham need to be "more compact" and "defend collectively" to stop Manchester City's threatening attacking players.

• "You have to stay concentrated and be alert all the time," she added. "We know one opportunity might be all it takes [for City]. We have to be on it."

• Skinner says Wednesday's 6-1 win over Portsmouth in the Women's League Cup has helped give West Ham "more confidence" and they were "ruthless".

• On switching to a back three this season, Skinner says it "plays to the strengths" of the team.

• She adds: "It has felt like the better fit for us. That isn’t to say we won’t play in a back four. It just gives us a little bit more flexibility in how we want to play."

• Skinner says West Ham's slow starts in matches "has to stop" and they need to be more pro-active against Manchester City.

Liverpool boss Matt Beard has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Women's Super League game against Tottenham (kick-off 14:15 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• He said Manchester United had an "unfair advantage" heading into Wednesday's League Cup game after their WSL game against Chelsea was postponed.

• Beard said "we only have one fit goalkeeper going into the weekend" and that the club have had no joy bringing a player in via emergency loan because "there is just no one available".

• On Eva Spencer and Zara Shaw's England call-ups for the Under-17 Women’s World Cup: "It’s great. It shows the good work that’s done within our youth system here."

• Overall he said his side are playing catch up and are "a little bit behind where we should be".

• However he stressed: "There are still 20 league games to play, so I am not concerned or worried."

• On Tottenham, he said: "Robert [Vilahamn] did a great job last year. They are a lot stronger this year."

• While he praised Spurs' improvement, Beard said: "We have improved ourselves if you look at the squad depth we have now. It’s so early in the season. Yes we are ambitious and want to break into the top three, so does every other club in the WSL."

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Aston Villa midfielder Jordan Nobbs could set a new record for the most Women's Super League appearances in Saturday's game against Brighton.

Nobbs played in her 192nd WSL game against Tottenham on Sunday to move level with with Chelsea midfielder Sophie Ingle for number of appearances.

The 31-year-old made her debut in the league for Arsenal against Chelsea in April 2011.

Villa boss Robert de Pauw said it was a "privilege" to work with her, adding: "She's a wonderful person, very kind, very open. Still very driven.

"She's the first one on the pitch and the last one to go off in training. I have to sometimes hold her back."

Nobbs, who joined Villa in 2023 after 12 years with Arsenal, has scored 58 goals across her 192 WSL appearances.

"Her performance against Spurs was crazy. We have one midfield coach and she was looking at individual clips of Jordan and the quality is just there and it's a big enjoyment to work with her," De Pauw added.

Aston Villa boss Robert de Pauw has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Women's Super League game against Brighton (kick-off 12:30 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Anna Leat, Georgia Mullett and Jill Baijings are expected to start to training again in the next two weeks.

• Villa are continuing to build up Gabi Nunes' minutes in a "structured and sensible way".

• However, he added Nunes, who joined from Levante in the summer, made a "good impression" on her debut in the League Cup against Crystal Palace on Wednesday.

• After seeing Everton's two ACL injuries, De Pauw said "you cannot be careful enough".

• De Pauw said it is a "privilege" to work with experienced players like "go-getter" Rachel Daly and the "very driven" Jordan Nobbs.

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter

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Former goalkeeper Fran Kitching has joined the Professional Footballers' Association in a dual role following her early retirement.

The 26-year-old left Crystal Palace in June upon the expiration of her contract but says her new role at the PFA has come at "exactly the right time".

Kitching, who previously played for Liverpool, Chelsea, Sheffield United and Watford, will support the Women's Football and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion teams at the players' union.

"I’m incredibly excited to be joining the PFA at what is an important time for the union and for players," said Kitching.

"It’s somewhere I’ll be able to use my voice in a positive way and lean on my own lived experiences in football to help the players.

"Everyone who has played alongside me knows I’ve always wanted to push for more in the game.

"Players are sometimes made to feel grateful for what they have, but there are things being left behind."

Kitching suffered a serious head injury during a training ground incident at Liverpool in 2020.

She has since spoken openly about her mental health journey and hopes to use that experience to help others in the game.

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Brighton boss Dario Vidosic said Nikita Parris is "getting very much closer" to full match fitness.

The England forward joined Brighton on deadline day and made her first start in Wednesday's Women's League Cup win over Birmingham.

She has come on as a second-half substitute in both of Brighton's Women's Super League games this season and Vidosic said it was always going to be a phased introduction for Parris.

"It was probably the plan with her coming in a little bit late," he said. "That game midweek was a good opportunity to give her a start and a lot of information before the game.

"Because of the make-up of the squad we used her in a different role and she did really well there. We will assess and talk to the physios today and we will make a judgement for starting tomorrow.

"She is getting very much closer. We know what she possesses and what she can bring so whoever goes out we will be confident that we have a great team to help us get the three points."

Brighton boss Dario Vidosic has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Women's Super League game against Aston Villa (kick-off 12:30 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• There are no fresh injury concerns and Brighton have a "clean bill of health".

• On what he has learned from his first three games in charge, Vidosic said: "The girls are able to apply what we are putting into training which is really pleasing".

• On his ambitions for the season, he said: "There is no real target, I'm more just day to day. It's just looking for that improvement and how we can continue to evolve".

• He said his players deserve to sell out Amex Stadium every week "because they play good football", but added: "it’s up to us to build trust with the fans".

• On whether Saturday's game is an acid test for where his side are at, Vidosic said: "Every weekend is a test. We don't take anyone lighter than anyone else".

• He said Aston Villa are "a very good team with very dangerous players" and have similar ideas to Brighton.

• He added: "We will try and dominate the game and walk away with three points".

Everton boss Brian Sorensen has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Women's Super League game against Arsenal at the Emirates (kick-off 14:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Summer signing Melissa Lawley is still out with a fractured elbow, Karen Holmgaard is not ready in time for Sunday's fixture.

• He said it is "really bad luck" that Inma Gabarro and Aurora Galli each suffered an ACL injury in the space of the week.

• Asked whether the club were considering bringing in an out-of-contract player to deal with a diminished squad, Sorensen said: "With the level we compete on, there's not a free agent running around that can come in and help us."

• He hopes with new owners coming in that Everton can do more in the transfer window, adding: "We are in the process of looking at players because we really need that."

• Young players such as Issy Hobson will "have to show us they're ready".

• Sorensen said Everton go to Emirates Stadium with "no pressure" because "not many expect us to do something" against Arsenal.

• He is supportive of the idea to expand the WSL, adding: "There's enough to talent."

Liverpool's Women's Super League game against Chelsea has been selected for broadcast by the BBC.

The match on Sunday 7 November will be shown live on BBC Two, iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app, with kick-off at 12:30 GMT.

The two sides previously met in the WSL back in May, when Liverpool ran out 4-3 winners in a dramatic encounter at Prenton Park.

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter

Tottenham boss Robert Vilahamn has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Women's Super League game against Liverpool (kick-off 14:15 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Ella Morris is back in training but will be monitored before Sunday's game. Luana Buhler has recovered well from her return in the Women's League Cup but Shuang Wang and Amy James-Turner remain absent.

• Vilahamn says he is "not concerned" by Tottenham's lack of shots v Aston Villa but admits they were "not happy" with their attacking performance.

• He praised Jess Naz's development and says her "X-factor is one of the best in the league".

• On Naz, he added: "She’s so strong, powerful, quick and she has the finishing to be a top player in this league and in this country playing with the Lionesses. Her next level is to be more consistent and to make sure she can handle other phases of the game. She is still quite young and still learning."

• Vilahamn says new centre-back pairing Molly Bartrip and Clare Hunt are "communicating with the team well" and are building a good relationship.

• One difference between the WSL and Sweden is the attention to detail on set-pieces, says Vilahamn. He describes it as a "good learning curve" for him.

• He says he has been "impressed" by Liverpool's record signing Olivia Smith. "She is a talented player with enormous power," said Vilahamn.

• Upcoming matches against Liverpool and Manchester United can help Spurs "get an answer on where we are," he adds.

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Manchester United have confirmed defender Lucy Newell has signed her first professional contract with the club.

The 18-year-old came through the youth ranks at West Brom and signed for United on dual registration for the 2023-24 season.

She joined Marc Skinner's side on their pre-season camp in Marbella.

Newell will wear the number 55 shirt this season.

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Manchester City midfielder Jill Roord joined BBC Radio 5 Live's Women's Football Weekly podcast to discuss her return from injury, 249 days after rupturing her anterior cruciate ligament.

On how it felt to come on against Brighton at the weekend: "I didn’t think much about it, I didn’t really know what to expect and I just wanted to go out there and enjoy. But the reaction from the crowd was really nice and just a proud moment. A memory I will never forget."

On if she felt nervous going into challenges after her ACL injury: "Before getting back training with the team I was a bit worried that I would feel scared. But so far I haven’t. I feel really confident because I feel really strong and stronger than before."

On whether she was relentless in her recovery: "From day one I have been really focussed on getting back as soon as possible as good as possible. The whole journey was tough, but I enjoyed that feeling of getting better every day. I wasn’t too down when it happened, that helped me a lot. It’s been tough but I’m happy that I can feel this excitement again playing football."

On what she wants to achieve this season: "Win the league. We should have won it last year but we gave it away. We have such a good team and we are very ambitious and we still know the feeling from last season so that is definitely the goal."

Listen to the full interview from 17'30

Ellen White and Jen Beattie tell BBC Radio 5 Live’s Women’s Football Weekly podcast that player welfare is not a priority for Uefa after Chelsea and Manchester United’s Women’s Super League fixture was postponed due to the Champions League and issues with an increasingly busy schedule.

Listen to the podcast on BBC Sounds