Women's Super League

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

Jen Beattie, Ellen White and Ben Haines react to the Euro 2025 play-off finals which saw Wales make history, booking their place at next summer's European Championships in Switzerland, but heartbreak for Scotland as their golden generation miss their golden hour.

White chats about England's two friendlies against the Olympic champions the USA and Euro 2025 hosts Switzerland.

Listen to the podcast.

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City academy graduates Lily Murphy and Codie Thomas have signed their first professional contracts with the club.

Murphy, 18, has made five appearances this season after making her debut in the 3-0 win over Paris FC in Women's Champions League qualifying.

The forward also came on as a substitute in their 4-0 Women's Super League victory over Tottenham at Etihad Stadium in November.

"It's an amazing feeling for me and my family. Growing up supporting City, it's a different feeling," said Murphy.

"The club have been so supportive and given me so much advice. I've learned a lot. They have really helped me on my journey."

Defender Thomas, 18, made her debut in the Women's Champions League group stage victory against St Polten and travelled with the squad during pre-season.

"Being an academy player and coming through, I've always felt valued," she said. "Finally getting on the pitch and representing the club at senior level is great."

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City goalkeeper Khiara Keating "is someone with huge potential" says England under-23s head coach Emma Coates.

The 20-year-old won the Golden Glove after keeping nine clean sheets and conceding the fewest goals in the Women's Super League last season.

However, Keating was left out of Sarina Wiegman's senior Lionesses squad this month and has faced competition for a place in the City side after the summer arrival of Japan international Ayaka Yamashita.

"She’s been brilliant since she’s been with us. We know Khiara is someone with huge potential," said Coates, when asked about her return to the under-23s squad.

"We’re here to support her. I have no doubts that Khiara will make that step across back to the senior squad again hopefully.

"When she needs football and wants to be back in the conversation, that is why the under-23s programme exists. We have to remember how young she is.

"She has had so many positive experiences in the WSL and with the England senior team. She comes back with us and has an opportunity to get some minutes."

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Tottenham defender Ella Morris says what was "sold to her is exactly what she is getting" following her move to north London this summer.

Morris, 22, signed a three-year deal with Spurs after leaving Southampton as she looked to progress her career.

She is currently with England's under-23s squad preparing for matches against Norway and Sweden.

"It’s been absolutely incredible. I don’t regret it for one second. What was sold to me is exactly what I’m getting," said Morris.

"I’m able to be among players like Bethany England, Drew Spence and just really high-performing internationals who have been in the game for a long time.

"It’s exciting for me to learn off them and see how they handle certain situations. It’s really helping me to progress - not only as a player, but also as a person."

Morris hopes to follow in the footsteps of team-mate Jess Naz, who has progressed from England's youth teams to the senior squad under manager Sarina Wiegman.

"We spoke about how she found it. It’s been really inspirational to be around someone every day at training and see the standards she has," said Morris.

"When she comes back from England she’s so sharp because she has been in that high-performing environment. It’s been really cool to see her do that.

"If I ever get the chance to do that then I have someone I can talk to who understands the experience. It’s been massive being around Jess every day."

Image source, Getty Images

Ruby Mace is the first Leicester City Women player ever to be called up to the senior England women squad.

The 21-year-old midfielder has started in all eight of Leicester's Women's Super League matches this season and is part of the Lionesses squad to face the United States and Switzerland.

Mace hopes she can use her versatility to break into the England squad and eventually settle down into her preferred position.

"For sure, having that versatility in your game helps a lot, especially when you just want to play and be on the pitch," she said.

"It’s a nice feeling to know you’re trusted in a few positions. I like the defensive midfield role. I think I can showcase myself the best in that position.

"Hopefully I can learn more and more to try to cement that position."

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City midfielder Laura Blindkilde Brown says she wants to "showcase" what she can do while with the England senior squad.

The 21-year-old has impressed since joining City from Aston Villa for £200,000 on transfer deadline day in January.

The midfielder scored in City’s Women’s Champions League victory over Hammarby and received a first England call-up by Sarina Wiegman this month.

"It’s about coming in, working really hard and also enjoying it. At the end of the day, I want to leave camp having no regrets and showcasing what I can do," said Blindkilde Brown.

She admits the decision to leave Villa, where she was playing regularly, was a "tough" one but she always believed she would get opportunities at City and it has now paid off.

"It was definitely a tough decision but ultimately I knew it would help me develop as a player," added Blindkilde Brown.

"If I just kept developing with the team and showing what I could do, eventually I could get an opportunity. Then it was about taking that opportunity when I was given it.

"Having the Women’s Champions League this year has helped because the squad depth is being rotated. I’ve been getting more opportunities which has definitely helped."

Broadcast picks for the first round of Women's Super League games after the winter break have been made.

The league pauses after games on Sunday, 18 December and action resumes on Friday, 17 January.

Tottenham's game against Leicester City will be shown live on BBC iPlayer, with kick-off at 12:30 GMT.

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea captain Millie Bright says her side's 1-0 win against Manchester United showed what they are capable of despite them needing to "grind it out" in a "tricky" fixture.

Their only goal came when Guro Reiten converted a penalty, while the strong winds at Kingsmeadow made for a tough environment for players.

England defender Bright said her team could have been "a bit more ruthless in the final third" but she was still happy with the result.

"I think the game showed a little bit of everything today - it was really scrappy in the second half - but again I think we showed what we're capable of," she told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"We want good performances, we want nice football, but sometimes you've just got to grind it out and get the job done. We also should have had more goals or got more goals."

The result leaves Chelsea sitting five points clear of second placed Manchester City going into the international break.

"I'll definitely take the clean sheet and three points over anything," added Bright.

"After a very heavy block and some big games, I'll take where we are. 12 games, 12 wins [in all competitions], top of the table, extended our lead."

Alex Brotherton
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Is anyone going to be able to stop Chelsea?

When Emma Hayes stepped down as manager at the end of last season, many predicted a changing of the guard in the Women's Super League.

The Blues have won five WSL titles in a row, but the changes brought by a new coach could have easily destabilised things. Hayes built a dynasty in west London, but all good things come to an end.

Well, maybe not yet.

Sonia Bompastor has overseen eight wins in her first eight league games in charge, all without Sam Kerr and Mia Fishel and four without Lauren James due to injury.

Not even the WSL's best defence or the violent winds of Storm Bert could stop Chelsea, though they were far from their best.

"I am just a bit disappointed at the fact we couldn’t play more but sometimes the most important is to get the three points because especially because we have been in a run playing five games in two weeks, I think the players are a little bit fatigued as well," Bompastor said after full-time.

The scary thing is that she, and everyone else, knows that this Chelsea team can be much better.

Read the full match report here.

Alex Brotherton
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United have conceded just two goals in seven WSL games this season, but Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor is confident her side will be able to breach their opponent's defence.

"United have a strong squad with a lot of quality all over the pitch," Bompastor said.

"They are really organised, they don't concede a lot of goals. They really defend well as a team. We will have to find a way to keep possession of the ball and cause them trouble."

Chelsea overcame Celtic's defensive set-up to beat them 3-0 in the Women's Champions League on Wednesday, and she expects United may deploy similar tactics.

"We expect [to face] the same kind of organisation, maybe sometimes a low block, really compact. We worked on that during the game on Wednesday and in training."

Emma Hayes' Chelsea thrashed United 6-0 at Old Trafford on the final day of last season to clinch the WSL title. Bompastor is wary of the visitors' desire for revenge.

"They will be coming with confidence because they are unbeaten and have quality. What happened in the last game of last season... it will be in their mentality and we have to expect that."

United will be without striker Elisabeth Terland due to a groin issue, but Bompastor knows the quality of Melvin Malard - who she coached at Lyon - and Rachel Williams.

"I know Malard, since she joined United she's been on fire," Bompastor said.

"A lot of our players know Williams, we have to be able to defend well on the ground and in the air. I think we are ready for that. The Man City game [Chelsea won 2-0] showed we are able to not concede against one of the best strikers in the world in [Khadija] Bunny Shaw."

Alex Brotherton
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea boss Sonia Bompastor insists her side can still improve despite making a 100% start to the season.

The defending WSL champions face Manchester United - the only other undefeated team in the league - at Kingsmeadow on Sunday (12:00 GMT kick-off).

"There is always room for improvement. Like when [we are] in possession of the ball, at the moment that is our main focus," Bompastor said.

"In the build-up phase, the creation phase, finishing phase, it's really important to get the chemistry.

"We also need to make sure we defend well, as the teams that go far in competitions are the ones that don't concede a lot of goals."

Here are the other key lines from Sonia Bompastor's news conference:

• Niamh Charles is "in a good place" after returning to training following her shoulder injury, but she won't be available until after the international break.

• Kadeisha Buchanan underwent successful surgery on her anterior cruciate ligament injury on Tuesday. "We will support her and be with her during rehab," Bompastor said.

• Mayra Ramirez has shone in the injury absences of Sam Kerr, Mia Fishel and Lauren James, scoring six goals and providing four assists in her last 13 WSL games. "Mayra has a lot of quality. Mayra is doing a good job individually and for the team. She showed against Man City she can hold the ball, make runs behind the back line and her efficiency in the box," the manager said.

• Bompastor said she is "lucky" to work in an environment where the players don't get complacent despite being accustomed to winning. "It's not a hard job for me to motivate them. They have the right mentality. In games we just need to make sure we put all the right ingredients together."

Alex Brotherton
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United boss Marc Skinner praised new Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor before the two sides meet on Sunday (kick-off 12:00 GMT).

Bompastor took over from Emma Hayes in June and became the first manager in WSL history to win her first seven games in charge.

"They've got that same winning attitude, it's been born into the players over many years," Skinner said when asked if Bompastor's Chelsea is different to Hayes'.

"Sonia is cleverly and subtly trying to change the way Chelsea play. They're very one-v-one dominant, they're wide in their build-up so they spread you out as much as possible to create one-v-ones. She's doing a good job."

Manchester City struggled to live with Chelsea's intense pressing in their 2-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, but Skinner has a plan to deal with it.

"It's a huge part of their game. But we have to mix our style, know when to play, when to go beyond the press," he said.

"Having a mix of that is what we've been good at. That will keep Chelsea guessing. We've got to go into it and just be us. If we do that then we've got a good chance of winning the game."

Chelsea striker Mayra Ramirez scored a superb solo goal against City last weekend, and caused havoc with a two-goal performance at Old Trafford in May. Skinner said United's defenders will learn from that.

"We need to defend against that huge threat. Mayra is a fantastic footballer, so we've got to find a way to stop her. But she's surrounded by [other] great players."

Alex Brotherton
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United boss Marc Skinner says his side will use their 6-0 defeat by Chelsea on the final day of last season as motivation when the two sides meet on Sunday (kick-off 12:00 GMT).

United are unbeaten in the WSL this season, but will take on a Chelsea side that has a 100% record in all competitions under new head coach Sonia Bompastor.

"When we walked off that field, nobody felt good," Skinner said about May's heavy defeat at Old Trafford that saw Chelsea clinch the WSL title.

"You can have a choice: you can fear from it or you can do something about it. We have to learn and grow from that game. It's fuel and motivation. It was a big wake-up call for us. If you let the opponent have one second over you in the game then you deserve what you get."

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

• Skinner said United 'won't put Chelsea on a pedestal' on Sunday and will prioritise playing their own game.

• Striker Elisabeth Terland will "potentially" miss the trip to Kingsmeadow after suffering groin tightness against Leicester last weekend. She missed the midweek win against Everton and was left out of the Norway squad.

• Ella Toone's calf injury may keep her out until 2025, but United will asses her after the international break. Aoife Mannion could return on Sunday.

• Skinner doesn't think United must win on Sunday to keep their title hopes alive: "To say it's a must-win against a team that hasn't lost a game and have played the way they have, it's a bit over-reaching."

Image source, Getty Images

West Ham midfielder Katrina Gorry and Everton's Clare Wheeler have withdrawn from the Australia squad due to injury.

West Ham have confirmed that Gorry sustained a shoulder injury during their 3-2 defeat by Brighton & Hove Albion, during which she scored her first goals for the club.

Everton midfielder Wheeler suffered a "minor" lower leg injury during their 1-0 victory against Liverpool that kept her out of her side's 2-0 defeat by Manchester United in the League Cup on Wednesday.

The duo join San Diego Wave defender Kaitlyn Torpey in withdrawing after she suffered a hamstring injury.

Australia interim head coach Tom Sermanni named an extended 36-player squad for upcoming friendly double-headers against Brazil and Chinese Taipei.

The Matildas will face Brazil on 28 November and 1 December before hosting Chinese Taipei on 4 December and 7 December.