Women's Super League

Image source, Getty Images

Everton manager Brian Sorensen says he is pleased his side battled back to secure a point after first half which he thought was "a bit off".

The Toffees went behind when Rachel Daly scored for Aston Villa in the 31st minute but improved after the break and salvaged a draw thanks to a superb long-range strike from Veatriki Sarri.

"We weren't ready for the first half. It was a bit off. I don't know why but we were too passive in all our actions. That's what we spoke about at half-time, to be more together when we pressed and so on.

"I was not happy with the first half but it is because we have new players and the connections are not quite there. We needed to do more in the second half and we certainly did that. The impact from the players off the bench made a huge difference to that.

"I am pleased with the point because we also have to acknowledge that Courtney Brosnan kept us in the game with some good saves in the first half.

Sorensen added that his side, who have recruited more players than any other side in the Women's Super League during the January transfer window, needs time to gel after the winter break.

He said: "We just started. We have been together for 10 days. We need to build those relations and understand how we want to do things.

"We had two new players in the starting XI. One was forced because Sara Holmgaard was suspended and Mel Lawley had been a little bit sick so we saved her for later.

"But it was great to have an impact off the bench now and we can build on that."

Adam Millington
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

It had looked as if Aston Villa would come away with all three points thanks to an impressive attacking display, but Veatriki Sarri's spectacular strike saw Everton secure a draw after second half-substitutes sparked a fightback.

Villa seemed to be experiencing a new-manager bounce under interim boss Shaun Goater and were set for another win, controlling the bulk of the game at Walton Hall Park.

The moved forward through well-worked, fluid passing routines and attacked Everton in numbers. The work of Canadian forward Adriana Leon was particularly impressive, sending dangerous deliveries into the box and switching wings to keep the Toffees' defence on their toes.

But Courtney Brosnan's expert shot-stopping managed to keep Everton in the game despite remaining under a constant barrage of pressure.

Then the second-half introduction of debutants Kelly Gago and Emma Watson – plus Melissa Lawley – made the difference, providing a renewed energy going forward.

Gago in particular changed the balance, with her pace forcing the Villa defence to face a very different challenge.

It took a wonder-strike to secure a point, but Everton deserved it for their late efforts. Brian Sorensen will be pleased by his side's second-half display, while Goater will be able to take solace in the fact they were so dangerous for so long – even if Villa weren't able to make it count.

Image source, Getty Images

Denmark international Katherine Kuhl has completed a permanent move from Arsenal to Roma.

The 21-year-old joined the Gunners in January 2023 and made 27 appearances in total, scoring once.

She joined fellow Women's Super League side Everton on loan in January 2024 and made 10 appearances for the Toffees.

A statement from Arsenal said: "Everyone at Arsenal Football Club would like to Kathrine for her efforts during her time with us, and we wish her well for her next chapter."

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City forward Poppy Pritchard has joined Championship side Newcastle on loan for the rest of the 2024-25 campaign.

England youth international Pritchard has spent the first half of this season on loan at Crystal Palace.

Newcastle head coach Becky Langley said: "Poppy is a Newcastle girl with lots of talent. She's fast, direct and has a real hunger to score goals. The fans will love watching Poppy play because she's determined, an intelligent player and driven to get to the top.

"Manchester City saw her talents and we now want to nurture them with this loan move."

Image source, Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace have signed Canada international forward Clarissa Larisey on a two-and-a-half-year deal.

The 25-year-old arrives from Swedish club BK Hacken where she scored 20 goals in 65 appearances.

Larisey is Crystal Palace's first recruit of the January window, although she is unlikely to be involved in the side's trip to Arsenal on Sunday.

"I got to talk to Laura [Kaminski] and to Grace [Williams], and it was great, said Larisey.

"They were super excited and were telling me all about the programme and how great Palace is, so I couldn't turn down this opportunity," said Larisey.

"I'm really excited to play here, play with the best – and play for Palace."

The arrival will be welcome news to boss Laura Kaminski after Jorja Fox, Brooke Aspin and Poppy Pritchard all returned to their parent clubs after spending the first half of the season on loan with the club.

Kaminski said: "Clarissa is a really exciting talent, and we're delighted to have her join us. She brings great experience at a crucial time for the team."

Image source, Manchester City

Manchester City have signed Japan Under-20 international midfielder Aemu Oyama on a two-and-a-half-year deal.

The 20-year-old, who played in last summer's U20 Women's World Cup, joins from Waseda University in Tokyo.

She becomes City's second signing in January, along with German defender Rebecca Knaak, and could be involved in their game against rivals Manchester United on Sunday.

"I'm aware how enormous this game is and if I'm given a chance I'd like to show my playing style," said Oyama.

"My dream is to play in the Champions League. I'd like to be able to contribute to the team as soon as I can.

"And as a young player, now that I'm in this team I want to play as many games as possible... seeing other young players [getting chances] inspires me to work hard like them."

City's women's director of football Therese Sjogran added: "Aemu is a very technically gifted player, there's a real buzz about her.

"She'll be exciting to watch this season and beyond, and there is real potential for her to become even better."

Image source, Getty Images

Arsenal winger Vivienne Lia has joined Championship side Southampton on loan for the remainder of the season.

The 18-year-old signed her first professional contract with the Gunners in January.

She made her senior debut in the League Cup quarter-final win over London City Lionesses in February 2024.

"I'm excited to get started of course, I feel like this will be a really good part of my development," Lia said,

"The Championship has been a league I've been looking at to help my development a lot. I think it's a really challenging league and it's very tight at the moment, so it's exciting to come into that and compete against great players as well."

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter at St Helens Stadium

If Liverpool proved anything last season, it was that they can never be written off and they are always willing to fight.

It has been a tough start to the campaign for them - they have lacked consistency, struggled with injuries and results have been underwhelming.

But manager Matt Beard hoped the new year, and the return of injured players, would bring a "fresh start" to their season.

He got what he wanted with Friday's 2-1 win over Brighton and it was one of their best performances of the season.

In contrast, Brighton had been full of momentum heading into the winter break and it appeared to disrupt their flow.

They were second-best to every duel, struggled to respond when Liverpool took control and they rarely tested goalkeeper Teagan Micah.

Manager Dario Vidosic described his side as "unrecognisable" afterwards and you could understand why as they lacked all the traits that has delivered them results.

They have got themselves into a strong position, sitting fifth in the table, but they must improve on this performance if they hope to stay there.

Liverpool edged Brighton 2-1, courtesy of a late own goal from Jorelyn Carabali, at St Helens Stadium as the Women's Super League returned from the winter break on Friday. Here is what the managers said to Sky Sports after the game.

Liverpool's Matt Beard: "It was important to win. We have had a tough first half of the season. I think we enjoyed the game on merit. We could have finished the game off and then we conceded a really frustrating goal. I'm really proud of the girls. We had a tough start to the season but they never downed tools.

"We saw a bit of last season's Liverpool. I guess our winner had some fortune to it. We had other opportunities to put the game to bed. But we won the game on an own goal. I think we deserved the three points and it's a big step in the right direction tonight.

"Sam Kerr had a terrific debut and Olivia Smith terrified them. Poppy Pattinson was lucky to be on the pitch from what I was seeing."

Brighton's Dario Vidosic: "We were unrecognisable. We lacked discipline, we lacked aggression. We made simple mistakes and played into their hands. They deserved the win. We just weren't there, unfortunately.

"We have been training two weeks leading in and it was good. But we didn't get anything we needed tonight. We weren't patient and were playing long balls. In terms of structure, we were all over the place. We gave away the ball quickly and were overloaded. And with Liverpool, you will get punished. We got what we deserved.

"There were glimpses of what we wanted but it was too few and far. We didn't look dangerous at all. The errors have let us down. We know we have to be much much better. Otherwise, we will have tough games again."

Jonty Colman
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Crystal Palace boss Laura Kaminski said the Christmas break came at the perfect time for her side.

Palace return to Women's Super League action against Arsenal at Meadow Park on Sunday (14:00 GMT kick-off) where they will be looking to move off the foot of the WSL table.

The Eagles have not won any of their last seven WSL matches and sit bottom of the table by a point, but do go into the game off the back of a 6-1 win over Championship side Sheffield United in the FA Cup on Tuesday.

"I think the break came at a good time for us," Kaminski told BBC Sport. "The players mentally were given ample time off to ensure they were refreshed and recharged ready for January onwards, which is really important for us.

"They've come back with a really good mindset. The win the other day just shows in front of goal, we can do it. We have to make sure that our feet are on the ground and we certainly don't take anything for granted. We had to work hard for that result.

"In the WSL, you need to be a team that is difficult to beat and then the next week, it is flipped and we are going after teams who are getting loads of pressure high up the pitch. In that sense, you've got to be really good at two things and going into the game, we've had practice in leading."

Here are more key lines from Kaminski's news conference:

• On opponents Arsenal, Kaminski said she was "delighted" to see Renee Slegers named as their permanent manager, adding that seeing another female coach earn and take their opportunity is great for her and the Gunners' players.

• Forward Elise Hughes has returned to full training on Friday after missing the first half of the season through injury, but Kaminski did say that her return to matches is "unpredictable."

• In terms of recruitment, Kaminski said the club are actively looking to bolster their squad before the transfer window shuts.

• Kaminski also paid tribute to Jorja Fox, Brooke Aspin and Poppy Pritchard, who have all returned to their parent clubs after spending the first half of the season on loan at Palace. Kaminski added that while she enjoyed working with the trio, their exits suited all parties.

Image source, Getty Images

Renee Slegers said the 1-1 draw with Manchester United was the first time she thought about becoming Arsenal head coach on a permanent basis.

The draw at Leigh Sports Village was the only game the Gunners did not win under Slegers as interim head coach, but she said she got the sense that something special was brewing.

"The Manchester United game away was the first time where I was thinking that we are really creating something," Slegers said.

"That is the first time I had the thoughts in my head. Along the way there have been events, mostly in the building with the staff, that have given me those thoughts about things being inspiring and whether I want to keep going with the process. It has been growing like that over several months.

"I don't know if I can recall exact things. For example we tried something new with our meeting structure, we wanted more engagement from the players and we got the engagement, and afterwards we thought 'this is working, they are engaging and believe in what we are doing'. We got the engagement we wanted. I can't recall everything else but this is an example of small things that we were looking for and we got."

Here are more key lines from her news conference before Sunday's game against Crystal Palace (kick-off 14:00 GMT)

• Slegers said she doesn't "experience the pressure" that comes with the role because she blocks out external noise.

• On replacing Jonas Eidevall for a second time after doing so at Rosengard, she added: "I worked very well with Jonas, I have said that many times. I have spoken to him a few times after he left. I respect his way of seeing the game and it has been great learning from him."

• Katherine Kuhl is "getting close to a move" away from Arsenal and is "not in the building at the moment".

• On what she expects from Palace: "They will try to play their game and disrupt our game. With their set up let's see what they do. If they want to come out aggressive in a couple of moments or if they try to make the spaces compact for us. It is going to be a challenging game and we are full of belief and very excited."

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City forward Khadija Shaw will not be available for Sunday's Women's Super League derby against Manchester United.

Jamaican international Shaw has been unavailable through injury since early December and is one of several key players missing for City.

As well as Shaw - this season's WSL top-scorer with nine goals in as many matches - City will be without captain Alex Greenwood and creative forward Lauren Hemp.

Asked when they might return, manager Gareth Taylor said: "Alex [Greenwood] and Lauren [Hemp] are in a good place. We know that their return is not immediate.

"Bunny [Shaw] is a lot closer, pretty imminent, we're just trying to make sure we check off a few of the markers that the medical team need to be happy with in order to be ready for this really busy period we're going into.

"This weekend will be too soon for Bunny but I think outside of that, she's starting to move really closer to those next couple of games."

Taylor was also asked about the club's recruitment plans with two weeks remaining of the January transfer window.

City have reportedly signed Brazil forward Kerolin on a three-year-deal, while defender Alanna Kennedy and England international Chloe Kelly are among those who could leave the club.

"It's really difficult obviously, to give you any news while there's many wheels of the cog that are still whirring and we're working tremendously hard behind the scenes to try help and support the squad a little bit more," said Taylor.

"Once it's finalised, we'll be able to let you know. We understand that in this transfer window, there's not just going to be movement into clubs, there's going to be movement out."

On Kerolin, he added: "I think it's really difficult for me to comment on a player that is not officially ours.

"There's a lot of speculation out there but we like to do things in the right way."

Manchester City forward Kelly is seeking regular game time to ensure she keeps her place in the England squad for Euro 2025 but Taylor said she remains a "valued" player for as long as she is at the club.

"We have good history together. While she's here, she's the same as every other player," added Taylor.

"She's considered, she's valued and whether she plays or doesn't play, she's a part of what we're doing. Anything beyond that is really difficult for me to kind of speculate on."

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea's Charlotte Wardlaw has completed a permanent move to Championship side Newcastle United.

The versatile 21-year-old, who can play in defence and in midfield, becomes the Magpies' first signing of the January window.

Wardlaw is a product of the Blues' academy and spent the first half of this season on loan at Championship side Sheffield United, making nine appearances in England's second-tier.

Wardlaw made three appearances for the Blues before leaving the club on five times on loan with Liverpool (twice), Lewes, Glasgow City and the Blades.

She has also represented England at under-15, 17 and 19 levels.

"There were lots of different factors that made this move the right one for my career," said Wardlaw. "The history, tradition, the family feel of the club and ultimately the ambition."

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

It felt a matter of when, and not if, Arsenal would confirm Renee Slegers as permanent manager.

The Dutchwoman's record as interim boss has been impressive and she looked at home in the role.

Arsenal took their time in making a decision because they felt so comfortable with Slegers as interim that they knew the team was in good hands while they carried out a managerial search.

They also knew it was a significant period and they needed to make the right choice - Chelsea and Manchester City continue to invest and are growing stronger each season, while Arsenal have fallen short.

It ended up being an extended audition from Slegers and her pedigree grew, putting herself in the spotlight as one of the leading candidates, while Arsenal cast the net out in their search.

Former City boss Cushing was on their list but he seemed to rule himself out of contention, while ex-Manchester United head coach Casey Stoney - named Canada manager this week - was quickly dismissed as an option.

In the end there were few candidates who could compete with Slegers, and her appointment is likely to receive widespread support from Arsenal's fanbase given the turnaround in form she has overseen this season.

Image source, Getty Images

Renee Slegers said "it's a wonderful honour to represent this club as head coach" after being given Arsenal job on a permanent basis.

The Gunners are unbeaten in 11 games under the 35-year-old, who has overseen 10 wins and one draw in her time as interim head coach.

Slegers has signed a one-and-a-half-year contract with the club until the end of the 2025-26 season.

"I'm so excited to be continuing our journey together," Slegers said. "It's a wonderful honour to represent this club as head coach and I have so much belief in what we can all achieve together.

"Over the past few months, I've felt such a powerful sense of collective ownership and responsibility across our players and staff – that has been our strength and I know we will make sure we drive and nurture this feeling as we all move forward.

"It has meant the world to me to feel the closeness and passion of our supporters during this process, and I want to thank you all for that. We want to deliver something beautiful that's inspiring and leads to winning trophies. We all have a big part to play in achieving that."