Women's Super League

Chelsea boss Sonia Bompastor has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Women's Super League game against Liverpool (kick-off 12:30 GMT).

Here are the key lines from her news conference:

• Lucy Bronze and Catarina Macario are back in the squad and available, but Lauren James remains sidelined.

• Bompastor said "it is difficult to give a date" on when James will return, but said "not before the next international break for sure".

• On the high number of different goalscorers this season, Bompastor said: "That is really valuable because it gives the opposition some doubts on players. They don't know which one is going to score".

• On selection headaches, she said: "It’s good for me because I can rotate."

• On whether her players have gelled quicker than she expected, she said: "I was expecting us to perform from the beginning and I hope now we will be able to perform until the end."

• Asked whether there is another level to come, Bompastor said: "Even if we have good results we still have room for improvement."

• On Liverpool, she said: "They have a good team and good squad and I know Liverpool always find a way to perform against Chelsea."

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

Here are the key lines from her news conference:

• Miquel does not know how long Sam Tierney will be out with the ankle injury she sustained in last weekend's 1-0 defeat by Brighton, but she will not be available on Sunday.

• There's also no timescale for Lena Petermann's return.

• Asked if Leicester were at a crisis point with injuries, Miquel said "We're not there yet".

• She said that the club are holding out for the January transfer window, rather than bringing in players on free transfers.

• The Leicester boss is "really pleased" with how few goals her side are conceding.

• On Leicester's 5-2 pre-season win over West Ham, Miquel said: "It feels like it was a long time ago, and when we're in a very different situation then".

• With tough tests against Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea before the winter break, Miquel said that three points against West Ham would make "mental aspects easier".

Arsenal's interim boss Renee Slegers has been speaking to the media before Friday's Women's Super League game against Brighton (kick-off 19:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from her news conference:

• Lotte Wubben Moy and Laura Wienroither are both "progressing really well" as they return from injury.

• On Edu leaving his role as Arsenal's sporting director, Slegers said he's "meant a lot" to the women's team and she's "sorry" to see him leave.

• She added that Edu's departure will not impact Arsenal's recruitment process for a permanent head coach.

• Slegers hopes to remain part of the club's coaching staff, even if she is not selected as the next permanent manager.

• On having to move their Champions League game against Bayern Munich away from the Emirates because of a clash with a men's fixture, Slegers said it's been "a very hard dilemma for the club".

• Arsenal have "not been talking" about Manchester City and Chelsea pulling away at the top of the league.

• She said it will be a "high risk, high reward" game against Brighton, who Slegers said are "doing really well and have recruited top players".

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter

Crystal Palace manager Laura Kaminski has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Women's Super League game against Everton (kick-off 14:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from her news conference:

• Captain Aimee Everett is "in a much better place" with her recovery from injury but will be assessed following training this week.

• "I’m still not 100% certain on the outcome for the weekend but she’s in a really positive place and is on the grass," adds Kaminski.

• Kaminski says Palace know "how important it is to take full advantage" of their home games having won all their points on the road so far this season.

• She says there has been "a lot of noise" about Everton's position at the bottom of the table but she empathises with their long-term injuries.

• "It’s important to remember it’s people we’re talking about here. I wish those players all the best. It’s really difficult to deal with. We are sure of what we’ll get from them. We will get a really gritty, whole-hearted performance from a team that will rally together and try to be their best on the day," adds Kaminski.

• Palace are "adjusting and adapting" each week to different opposition, says Kaminski, who wants her players to develop consistency.

• Everton's position in the table is not reflective of their performances, says Kaminski and she insists it will "not reflect their mentality" on Sunday.

Tottenham boss Robert Vilahamn has been speaking to the media before Friday's Women's Super League game against Manchester City (kick-off 19:30 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Hayley Raso and Amy James-Turner are "100% back and ready to be picked," said Vilahamn.

• On Becky Spencer signing a new contract, he praised her bravery and experience, adding: "For me to keep working with her and that we can use that for two more years that's great news".

• He called WSL leaders Manchester City a "winning machine" and added that he "learned a lot" from Tottenham's 7-0 defeat away at City last season.

• "She's probably the best nine in the league and probably one of the best nines in the world," Vilahamn said about Manchester City striker Khadija Shaw.

• Vilahamn understands that Spurs will have to "defend more than dictate" their next two games against City and Arsenal.

• "We need to be perfect tomorrow, or at least almost perfect, because otherwise they're going to win," he added.

Image source, Getty Images

West Ham's Riko Ueki is "right up there" with the best strikers in the Women's Super League according to boss Rehanne Skinner.

Since her WSL debut in October 2023, the Japan international is West Ham's is the leading goalscorer in the competition with eight goals and netted for the first time this campaign in Sunday's 2-1 loss to Tottenham.

"If you are a real football-minded person, you absolutely do not miss Riko Ueki," Skinner said.

"The things she does for 100 minutes, her timing of movement, her ability to manipulate defenders to get the ball where she wants to get it is phenomenal. She is a top player.

"Not enough people acknowledge that but we certainly know the value she brings us."

"My biggest challenge has been to make sure everyone on the pitch knows what she is doing. That is something we have been working really hard on.

"In terms of her hold-up play and her link-up play off the front line, she has got to be right up there in the league to be honest."

West Ham boss Rehanne Skinner has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Women's Super League game against Leicester (kick-off 15:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from her news conference:

• The injury time defeat by Tottenham "was really tough to take" and Skinner said "everybody is motivated to go and put that right this weekend.

• Assessing where the team are overall this season, Skinner said: "I’m pleased with the progress we have made and the performances we have had but we all know it’s about winning."

• She said West Ham fans "have gone through a lot of change and inconsistency" but praised them for staying "solid" and sticking by the team.

• She added: "The numbers in our fans are getting higher because the club has done a good job at making us more visible".

• After drawing twice against Leicester last season, Skinner expects another tight game but said: "Every game we feel positive about getting something from it. We just need to get one over the line."

• On what she wants to see against Leicester, Skinner added: "We want to be more attack-minded and positive on the ball".

Image source, Manchester City

Manchester City have installed 2,878 solar panels on the roof of Joie Stadium.

The installation at the home of City's women's team is the first phase in a wider project that will see more than 10,000 solar panels added across the City Football Academy.

The club say once the project is complete, "the panels will generate enough renewable energy to offset the annual power requirements needed to run the City Football Academy, making it one of the largest producers of renewable energy in world football".

City are aiming to be net carbon zero by 2030.

"By transitioning to self-supplied renewable energy, we will guarantee a consistent flow of clean power that offsets the energy required to run the stadium and significantly reduce its environmental impact," said the club's director of sustainability, Pete Bradshaw.

"In doing so, this installation undoubtedly makes the Joie Stadium one of the most sustainable stadiums in world football."

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter at Finch Farm

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

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Katja Snoeijs is a "question mark" says Sorensen. She has been dealing with a leg injury for "quite a while" and saw a specialist. She is due to train on Thursday and Friday and the club will assess her afterwards.

• Karen Holmgaard will miss Sunday's match, while Sara Holmgaard is progressing well and could be involved.

• Sorensen says the continuing injury issues have had an impact on their season but they are "not worried" about their position in the table.

• He admits this is an important period for Everton with games they believe they can win coming up.

• Sorensen added: "We had two games this season out of six that we were not at our best. The rest we were good. We should always say we could have had more [points] but they are not there and that’s the reality. Now we have three winnable games coming up."

• He says the squad knows the club's current situation - where they are waiting approval for a takeover and the injury pile-up - is "not ideal" but they know the "reality" is to continue to work with the resources they have available.

• On Crystal Palace's performances this season, Sorensen says: "They have been solid and look well-coached, organised and they try to utilise their strengths. We will have to be at our best on Sunday, that’s for sure."

Image source, Getty Images

Tottenham forward Hayley Raso says she joined the north London club to find "confidence" and achieve "consistency".

The Australia international, who has had spells in the Women's Super League with Everton and Manchester City, was a free agent after leaving Real Madrid at the end of last season.

She says she was "open" to moving anywhere after leaving Spain but made the decision "that was right for me and my career at this point".

Once she had talked to Spurs and manager Robert Vilahamn, Raso says she had no doubts about joining the club.

Speaking to BBC London, she said: "I really liked what they had to say, how they spoke to me, and how they saw me fitting into the team.

"After speaking with them, it was an easy decision to come here. I feel very supported, and I’ve got a lot of confidence being here. It was a great decision."

The 30-year-old scored on her Spurs debut against Crystal Palace but has since suffered a hamstring injury although she says she is now "ready" to return.

"We’re an ambitious team, and we want to have a strong season by getting as many points as possible, keeping clean sheets, scoring goals, and moving up the table," she says.

"On a personal level, I want to contribute as much as I can with goals, assists, and just being my confident self on the pitch.

"Robert has such a calming nature - he’s very level-headed, which brings calmness to us. He’s hugely important to what we’re trying to achieve this season."

Image source, Getty Images

Brighton manager Dario Vidosic believes it's "possible" his side can claim a top three finish in the Women's Super League this season.

The club currently sit third in the WSL, with four wins from their opening six games.

Brighton, who finished ninth last season under interim boss Mikey Harris, trail league leaders Manchester City by just three points.

Asked whether a top-three finish was realistic this season, Vidosic said: "If we continue on the path, I think it is. Until it's impossible, it's possible."

"The results, again, they're never certainties, especially in a league as tough as ours, where the biggest clubs have had troubles every week."

Brighton claimed a 1-0 win against Leicester on Sunday, a performance that was watched on by the club's men's head coach Fabian Hurzeler.

"It's awesome, especially he's just come back from Anfield and I can imagine, mentally very fatigued when you go and play Liverpool," Vidosic said.

"Throughout this week, I've sat down, spoke with him, spoke about the game, asked him if he saw something.

"To top it all off, he's preparing for Manchester City and Pep [Guardiola] this weekend, and he's still willing to sit down with me, give me some time to talk about, our team and how we can progress.

"I've got nothing but the best of words for him. He's a world class coach, but he's an even better person."

Brighton boss Dario Vidosic has been speaking to the media before Friday's Women's Super League game against Arsenal (kick-off 19:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• On-loan forward Michelle Agyemang is not available to play against her parent club.

• Pauline Bremer is "a couple of weeks" away from making her return from injury.

• Vidosic said Brighton's first-half display against Leicester last weekend was their "best performance of the season".

• On Nikita Parris scoring three goals in three games, he said: "Her best is still coming".

• Asked if he thinks of his third-placed side as title contenders, Vidosic said: "I think the table only matters on the last day of the season".

• He said Arsenal are "still a fantastic team" despite their difficult start to the season, and they have "a lot of players that can hurt you".

• On playing at the Emirates, Vidosic said it was a "dream" for players to play at big stadiums, adding: "All the eyes around the world will be on this game as well. So it's a pressure, but it's a privilege".

• The Brighton boss said it was "awesome" that Brighton men's head coach Fabian Hurzeler watched their game at Broadfield Stadium last weekend.

Image source, Getty Images

England international Lucy Bronze says Chelsea have a "grit in them" to win games and challenge for trophies consistently.

The 33-year-old joined Chelsea this summer after winning back-to-back Women's Champions League titles with Spanish giants Barcelona.

Bronze has won 23 club trophies, including five European titles and eight domestic league titles, and was part of the England team that won Euro 2022.

"Chelsea's got this grit in them, that not many teams have," she told BBC Radio London.

"Being a top team with a lot of talent, sometimes you're not as gritty. But it's something Chelsea have been renowned for.

"They just know how to win games, get points and score goals no matter if they are playing well.

"It's a grit that is like a team fighting relegation, but it's a team full of talent, winning things."

Bronze has been a regular starter for Chelsea since she joined manager Sonia Bompastor - who she worked with while at former club Lyon.

"I didn't expect [the move] to be as easy as it has been. Obviously I knew a couple of the English girls and the coaches, but after two or three days, it felt like I had been here for years," said Bronze.

"It's such a nice environment to come into. It's very diverse as well which I think helps me.

"I quite enjoy different people and learning different things so it's been fun for me."

For the first time in the Women's Super League and Women's Championship, all matches will take place at clubs' main stadiums on the same weekend.

There will be 11 matches at main stadiums across the weekend of 16-17 November during the men's international break.

Defending WSL champions Chelsea welcome title rivals Manchester City at Stamford Bridge on Saturday 16 November, the same day the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium hosts Arsenal. The north London derby will be live on BBC One from 13:15 GMT.

Elsewhere, Everton are set to play their final match at Goodison Park against Liverpool and Newcastle United face Southampton at St James' Park in the Women's Championship.

Here are the full list of fixtures.

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea goalkeeper Zecira Musovic is "not happy" to be on the bench for their Women's Super League matches but says she "sees the bigger picture".

Musovic, 28, is behind England's Hannah Hampton in the pecking order but believes she is improving as a goalkeeper in training and enjoys competition.

"I'm not happy about when I'm not playing. You want to be playing. You want to participate. You want to help out your team," Musovic told BBC Radio London.

"It's a position that requires a lot of mental strength, to be able to not let that one decision affect your wellbeing or your performance.

"I'm a person who likes to see the bigger pictures - so yes, there's a decision for one specific game, but there's bigger development and I want to keep improving.

"I like a challenge. I like when something is really testing. I come to work every day and I can't relax. The day I do relax, I will have no chance at all of playing."

Chelsea sit a point below Manchester City in the WSL table and they are preparing for Women's Champions League games against Celtic this month.

They switch from their regular Kingsmeadow home to Stamford Bridge for European matches and Musovic says she can see "improvements" in the growing fanbase there.

"I love Kingsmeadow, I love the fans there, I love the atmosphere they create together, but I do think that we are ready for something bigger," she added.

"A few years ago when we played [at Stamford Bridge] there were echoes of silence because there was not that many people.

"But I can see an improvement. I can see more fans coming out to support us and we feel that support. We can continue to grow together."

The latest episode of BBC Radio 5 Live's Women's Football Weekly podcast is out now on BBC Sounds.

Ellen White, Jen Beattie and Ben Haines take a look at Sonia Bompastor’s Chelsea and the impressive start she has had at the club, while asking who are her biggest selection headaches and how has she put her stamp on Emma Hayes’ legacy?

The team also discuss Arsenal's managerial options to replace Jonas Eidevall and whether Renee Slegers done enough to get the job full-time

Plus, Jen talks NWSL play-offs with Bay FC and winning the 2024 Lauren Holiday Impact Award for her work off the pitch.

Listen here

Image source, Getty Images

Tottenham goalkeeper Becky Spencer has signed a new contract that will run until June 2026.

Jamaica international Spencer is in her fifth season with Spurs, having joined from West Ham in 2019.

Last season the 33-year-old made 21 appearances for the club as they enjoyed their highest-ever Women's Super League finish and reached the Women's FA Cup final.

Tottenham currently sit seventh in the WSL, with two wins from their opening six games.

Image source, Getty Images

Dutch teenager Wieke Kaptein says she is settling in well at Chelsea and the club "feels like family".

The 19-year-old joined the Blues in the 2023 summer transfer window from FC Twente but was loaned back there last season so is playing her first campaign in the Women's Super League.

She told BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra: "It’s a lovely club. I have a really good apartment – it’s a little bit outside London because it’s really busy in London. I’m not used to that!

"I’m really happy to be here, it’s an honour to play with this badge on your heart."

The midfielder, who played a key role in Twente's title triumph last season, became the youngest Dutch player to feature at the Women's World Cup when she appeared as a 17-year-old at the 2023 tournament.

She scored her first Chelsea goal in her side's 5-0 thrashing of Everton on Sunday after coming on as a substitute, but she says she knows she will have to bide her time to get minutes on the pitch.

"As a footballer you want to play the important games, you want to play every game, but what I have in front of me – they are world class players.

"I’m learning a lot from them in training, on the pitch when I’m watching them, when I’m not on the field. When I play I hope I can help the team a lot.

"Of course I’m an impatient player but it’s good for me. I’m 19-years-old so it’s really good to be in this environment and to learn from Sjoeke (Nusken), from Erin (Cuthbert), from the midfielders, from every other player."