Women's Super League

Vivianne Miedema scored on her competitive Manchester City debut in the Women's Champions League on Wednesday, but her new Women's Super League era begins on Sunday.

The Dutch forward joined City from Arsenal in the summer and faces her former side at Emirates Stadium in the season opener.

She will wear the number six shirt for Gareth Taylor's side and told the Women's Football Weekly podcast how she reached out to former captain Steph Houghton to check it was ok for her to wear the shirt number she vacated when she retired at the end of last season.

Listen to the podcast on BBC Sounds

BBC Sport's senior women's football reporter Emma Sanders tells the Football News Show that Manchester United have "recruited well" to replace players like Mary Earps who have left, but is it enough to get them into the top three?

Watch The Football News Show

To mark the start of the new Women's Super League season, BBC Radio London have launched a new podcast celebrating women’s football in the capital.

'The London Women’s Football Show' dives deep into the WSL, Championship, and the very fabric of the women's football pyramid.

The debut episode unfolds with insights from stars like Lucy Bronze and Lotte Wubben-Moy, with conversation, and fan voices.

Listen here.

Some of our Women's Super League pundits from BBC Sport and BBC Radio 5 Live have given their predictions for the 2024-25 campaign.

Of the six pundits who gave us their picks, Manchester City are the favourites to win the title this season and stop Chelsea from lifting the trophy for a sixth successive season.

Sonia Bompastor's side are still well-backed for the title though, with only Ellen White thinking Arsenal can do the business.

Four pundits tipped newly-promoted Crystal Palace to go straight back down to the Championship again.

You can read Emma Sanders' WSL predictions here and hear more from her on The Football News Show in the clip below.

Sonia Bompastor has been telling BBC Radio 5 live about brining her winning mentality to Chelsea.

Emma Hayes' replacement has a "clear vision" of guiding the club to as many trophies as possible.

Listen as the Women's Football Weekly podcast previews the new WSL season on BBC Sounds

With tonight's return of the Women's Super League, the Football News Show have done a special episode previewing the new era for the top flight.

It's been a summer of big change with five new managers in the league, new faces coming in, old faces returning and an exciting opening round of fixtures. So, can seven-time champions Chelsea make it eight? Or will Manchester City and Arsenal knock them off their perch?

Betty Glover is joined in the studio by BBC Sport women’s football news reporter Emma Sanders to preview the 2024-25 campaign, with former Aston Villa boss Carla Ward also making an appearance.

Watch the full episode on BBC iPlayer

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool manager Matt Beard says their ambition this season is to "break into the top three" in the Women's Super League.

The Reds finished fourth last season, nine points off third-placed Arsenal.

The club had a quiet transfer window in the summer but they signed Canada international Olivia Smith for a club record £210,000.

"We want to do as well as we can, we want to win trophies, we want to complete," Beard said.

"It's tough to break into that top three, the money they're spending. Even some of the other clubs, the money that is being spent - it has been a mad window."

Last season, Liverpool claimed impressive victories over eventual champions Chelsea, as well as Arsenal.

"Did we overachieve last year? People may say yes. We finished where we did on merit, we worked extremely hard on the training pitch, we worked incredibly hard in the games and when we had a negative result we went on a good run after," Beard said.

"We’ve got a really good base and foundation. It’s not always about money and I think we proved that last year."

He added: "Our ambition is to break into that top three like anyone else.

"On our day we can beat anyone. We’ve proved that over the last two years."

Liverpool boss Matt Beard has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Women's Super League game against Leicester (kick-off 14:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• He said getting used to their new stadium at St Helens is one of the "biggest challenges" this season because Prenton Park had been a "fortress" for Liverpool.

• The Reds had a "dress rehearsal" against Everton on Sunday to "familiarise" themselves with the new stadium, which Beard called a "fantastic facility".

• Faye Kirby and Grace Fisk are unavailable to face Leicester.

• Beard said he was "pleased" with Liverpool's business in the transfer window, adding "I didn't think we needed a lot of change".

• On the season ahead, he said: "We want to do as well as we can, we want to win trophies, we want to compete".

• Speaking about summer signing Olivia Smith, Beard said: "It is going to take her time to find her feet because it is a tough league, but boy can the girl finish. Right foot, left foot – she’s strong, quick, powerful".

• Asked about the influx of new managers into the WSL, the Liverpool boss joked he's "not offering them any advice, that’s for sure".

Adam Millington
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City boss Gareth Taylor said naming defender Alex Greenwood as their new club captain was a "fairly easy" decision.

Greenwood, who joined City from Lyon in 2020, takes the armband on a permanent basis following the retirement of former captain Steph Houghton.

Taylor said that England defender Greenwood, 31, is the "main figure that we really want to embody everything that we do at City".

"You always look for that club captain to embody everything that you're about and Alex is cetainly that," Taylor said in his pre-match news conference before Sunday's Women's Super League game against Arsenal (12:30 BST kick-off).

"She had big shoes to fill with Steph and taking over in that role, but what I would add is that Alex is a big driver of the way we do things on and off the pitch which is really important as well as obviously being a top player."

Adam Millington
BBC Sport journalist

Manchester City boss Gareth has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Women's Super League game against Arsenal (kick-off 12:30 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• He said midfielder Jill Roord is "very close" to returning from her anterior cruciate ligament injury. "I think you'll certainly see in the next week to 10 days in this cluster of games, you'll start to see Jill really close," he added.

• Taylor said Arsenal losing to Hacken in Women's Champions League qualifying won't have any impact on the game and there won't be "any change in the purpose of what both teams want to do on Sunday".

• Vivianne Miedema will get an "outstanding ovation" against her former club Arsenal and "certainly deserves it".

• Miedema scoring in the 5-0 win against Paris FC will "do a lot confidence wise" and Taylor is "really happy with her, she brings a lot to the team."

• City "don't hold any grudges" despite losing to Arsenal near the end of last season. Doing so can lead to "frustration that goes over the line and doesn’t show a true reflection of yourselves."

Image source, Getty Images

Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall wishes Vivianne Miedema "the best" as she starts a new season with Manchester City after leaving the Gunners.

Miedema spent seven years with Arsenal, grabbing 125 goals in 172 appearances.

The 28-year-old signed for City in July after Arsenal decided not to renew her contract.

Miedema scored on her debut for Gareth Taylor's side in the Women's Champions League on Wednesday and could feature against her former on Sunday as Arsenal host City at Emirates Stadium for their first game of the new Women's Super League season.

"Viv has such a great history in the club. We wish her the best, I wish her the best. " Eidevall said.

"I truly hope she has a really successful season because she deserves that.

"One of the big problems for us letting her go is now she plays for a competitor which we know is a very strong opponent against us and we need to focus on our part during the game."

City finished second in the WSL last season, five points above Arsenal.

"With Viv it works both ways. Yes, we know a lot about her but she also knows a lot about us so it's going to be who applies that knowledge best."