Women's Super League

Huzaifah Khan
BBC Sport journalist

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Former England striker Ellen White believes Crystal Palace have "dragged" other Women's Super League teams into a relegation battle with their "absolutely huge" 3-1 victory over fellow strugglers Aston Villa.

Crystal Palace condemned Natalia Arroyo's side to a fifth successive defeat to keep their hopes of top-flight survival alive.

"This is absolutely huge. This was a six-pointer for them," White told BBC Radio 5 Live's Women's Football Weekly podcast.

"I think it's huge. The momentum that I reckon it's created in-house will be absolutely massive, and I don't want to say it, but I think that other teams could be dragged into this. All the pressure is now on Villa.

"I think he's [Leif Smerud] made huge changes psychologically for that team, cultural-wise, giving them the belief, desire and fight. And I think that's what they've needed, and they showed that against Aston Villa."

Former Arsenal and Manchester City defender Jen Beattie added: "I'm more worried about Villa at this point in time with five losses on the bounce, that's really tough.

"But Palace have to look at key games they know they can pick up points because they've proven that they can do it against Villa. 3-1 is an unbelievable result."

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

Ben Haines, Ellen White and Jen Beattie review Chelsea's win in the League Cup final, and assess where this leaves them ahead of their next three matches against Manchester City between now and next Thursday.

There is an interview with Chelsea's Sonia Bompastor on why results are more important than performances at this stage of the season.

They also look at the complaints about the pitch during Saturday's final at Pride Park, and ask whether the League Cup final should move to Wembley.

Listen here.

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Arsenal's Alessia Russo said her success in front of goal this season is partly down to enjoying her football again.

The England international is closing in on her best-ever club campaign with 15 goals already this season, one shy of last season's tally of 16.

"I'm just enjoying my football," Russo said. "I always play my best football when I'm happy and I'm enjoying the games. At the moment I just can't wait for the games to come around.

"I feel happy and valued within the team which is always nice. I am just trying to get the best out of myself and help how I can get the best out of others too."

Despite her leading the scoring charts for Arsenal, Russo still feels there is room for improvement.

"I always try and work on things throughout the season and throughout time in general," she said.

"I still feel like there is lots I want to work on and lots that I want to keep getting better at.

"In the nine I probably didn't understand to begin with how much work and how much there is to learn in the position. The older you get, the cleverer you get in the position in the sense that it's all tiny moments and fine margins but I am enjoying myself, I'm enjoying learning and I want to keep working hard."

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Fara Williams said "it is not quite happening" for Aston Villa, but believes they have the right structure in place to turn things around.

Villa have lost five successive Women's Super League games and are winless under new boss Natalia Arroyo. They are just one point above the relegation zone after Sunday's loss to bottom club Crystal Palace.

"It's an interesting one," Williams told the Women's Football Show.

"The games I have seen they have dominated possession, they have dominated the final third, they have had numerous shots on target they just haven't been able to put the ball in the back of the net and that has been part of the problem.

"If you think back to two seasons ago when everything Rachel Daly touched went in the back of the net, it's not quite happening for them.

"I don't think it's because they are not structurally set up correctly. I think they are in a good place, they just can't get the result."

Watch the Women's Football Show on iPlayer

Alex Brotherton
BBC Sport journalist

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Brighton & Hove Albion were thoroughly deserving of their 1-0 win against Tottenham, a result that ended their seven game winless run and condemned the home side to a fourth defeat in a row.

Sunday's game at Brisbane Road won't last long in the memory, with the first half typified by stray passes and low-quality play.

The only real moment of quality came three minutes before the break when Fran Kirby steered her effort into the bottom corner of Tottenham's goal following Rachel McLauchlan's cut-back.

The visitors forced Spurs goalkeeper Lize Kop into four saves, but the same could not be said for Brighton's Melina Loeck.

Spurs manager Robert Vilahamn will be concerned by his side's lack of penetration in the absence of leading goal-scorer Bethany England; his side took just one shot in the second half despite trailing.

Tottenham finished sixth last season and reached the FA Cup final, but this term threatens to peter out with little left to play for.

After fighting hard to draw 2-2 with league leaders Chelsea earlier in the month, Dario Vidosic and his Brighton players will look to build a winning run.

Adwaidh Rajan
BBC Sport journalist

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While Chelsea look certain to secure a fifth straight Women's Super League title, things look far more interesting at the bottom of the table following Crystal Palace's 3-1 win against Aston Villa on Sunday.

The two sides came into the relegation six-pointer needing a win - perhaps Palace a bit more desperate as a defeat and a seven-point deficit would have been difficult to overturn for a side that had only won once previously in the league this season.

New Palace manager Leif Smerud spoke before the game about the need for his players to be "brave" and "hunt" to stay alive in the top flight - and hunt they did against Villa in a spirited display across the line-up.

Aniek Nouwen, on loan from Chelsea, impressed on her debut in defence and bagged the opener while Lily Woodham was also instrumental in the backline, making a clearance off the line to deny Jordan Nobbs.

Katie Stengel, with a goal and also an assist, Clarissa Larisey and Ashleigh Weerden were also at the top of their game up front.

Those were among the many encouraging signs for Palace under Smerud - not to say the poor run their closest rivals Villa are on, heading into the final games of the season.

The Eagles now have the chance to get out of the relegation zone if they beat eighth-placed Everton next week and Villa slip up against third-placed Manchester United.

With games against bottom-half sides West Ham and Leicester City also among their remaining fixtures, Palace making themselves a far more competitive unit under their new manager will make the battle for relegation a lot of more interesting as we enter the business end of the season.

Everton have confirmed Alan McTavish has left his role as CEO the women’s team.

McTavish has been in the role since 2022 and led on the recruitment of finding current boss Brian Sorensen.

A statement from the club said: “The Club wishes Alan every success in the next step of his career.

“A further announcement on the club's leadership structure for Everton Women will be made in due course.”

Marissa Thomas
BBC Sport journalist

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Alessia Russo scored her ninth and tenth Women's Super League goals of the season as Arsenal beat Everton at Walton Hall Park.

The England international's first strike from close range put the Gunners in front as they looked to bounce back from the disappointment of going out of the FA Cup against Liverpool.

Russo is two goals away from matching last season's league tally of 12 and always looks a threat in the box.

It is clear to see that Russo has steadily improved as the season has progressed, with her first league goal of the campaign coming in early November against her former club Manchester United.

She has now scored the opening goal for Renee Slegers' side on five occasions, setting the tone as her side look to progress in the league.

The Gunners are eight points behind leaders Chelsea and their only hope of glory this season is the Champions League.

They will need Russo at their best if they are to beat Real Madrid over two legs in the quarter-finals.

Alex Brotherton
BBC Sport journalist

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Tottenham manager Robert Vilahamn believes January signing Olivia Holdt can give his side the 'X-factor' they have been missing.

Denmark midfielder Holdt joined Tottenham at the beginning of January from Swedish side Rosengard, but could not feature until the end of the month due to a leg injury.

Holdt scored a 95th-minute winner against Crystal Palace on her debut, and has since made three more substitute appearances.

Spurs are seventh in the WSL table following three straight defeats, but Vilahamn feels Holdt can help the team kick on during the final stretch of the campaign.

"We signed a really good player and person, she brings smiles to faces, she's a funny person," Vilahamn said.

"She's getting back to the shape she was in Sweden. You can tell she is back, she showed she has X-factor that we don't have in this team.

"She's very good at getting the ball out of tight areas, very good to find the last pass. She is taking steps all the time, we played a friendly last week in which she played her first 90 minutes for a lonig time.

"She is still adapting to this league, it's much tougher than Swedish league. From next season I think she will be one of the best players in this league."

Here are the other key lines from Vilahamn ahead of Sunday's match against Brighton & Hove Albion (kick-off 15:00 GMT):

• Striker Bethany England misses out with a "quad issue" while defender Charli Grant is ruled out with concussion.

• Forward Martha Thomas is available after recovering from a twisted ankle.

• Attacker Kit Graham has "a few more months to go" in her recovery from an ACL injury.

• Vilahamn believes Tottenham can finish fifth and match their best-ever WSL campaign.

• On Tottenham getting seven Women's Football Awards nominations: "It's connected to how we work together and shows how this club tries to push the level up."

• Loaning Becky Spencer to Chelsea is a "win-win" for both player and club, especially if it helps Chelsea beat Tottenham's rivals.

Alex Brotherton
BBC Sport journalist

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Brighton manager Dario Vidosic is not concerned despite his side's failure to win any of their last seven Women's Super League games.

A strong start to the season means the Seagulls are still fifth in the table, but they have claimed just three of the last 21 points available with their last victory coming in November.

"You learn a lot about the squad and myself, about things we can do differently, on and off the pitch," Vidosic said before Brighton's WSL game against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

"It's easy when you win, the sun seems brighter, but we need these periods to learn what needs fixing. Hopefully we'll come out a better team and myself a better coach."

Brighton were unfortunate not to beat WSL leaders Chelsea earlier this month, with Lauren James scoring from an offside position to level the game at 2-2. Brighton also felt they should have been awarded a penalty when they led 2-1.

While Vidosic would have liked video assistant referee (VAR) to have been in use that day, he sympathised with the officials.

"Everyone wants to be perfect, myself, every single player, and I guarantee the referees are the same. But we all make mistakes and that's part of the game.

"It went against us against Chelsea but they were tough calls. It's easy once you see the replay, an official only has one set of eyes. I think eventually we'll see it [VAR] in the women's game."

Here are the other key lines from Vidosic before Sunday's game at Brisbane Road (kick-off 15:00 GMT).

• Bruna Vilamala remains sidelined with a thigh injury but is "near" to returning.

• Jorelyn Carabali's knee injury is not ACL-related so she should return a "couple of weeks" after Vilamala.

• Vidosic on poor away form: "We didn't deal with tough trips and long trips after the winter break. We need to learn from that."

• On the form of Marisa Olislagers: "She's a highly technical player, very intelligent as well. I have to compliment her for when she wasn't in the squad, the way she trained and conducted herself."

Alex Brotherton
BBC Sport journalist

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Aston Villa boss Natalia Arroyo admits her side must not lose against Crystal Palace on Sunday if they want to avoid a relegation fight.

Villa have lost all three of their Women's Super League games since Arroyo took charge and find themselves four points above Palace, who occupy the relegation place.

"We are facing this game with this ambition [must not lose], we want to win, we need the three points," Arroyo said.

"It is important for us to make the gap a little bit bigger so that we can continue our processes and grow as a team without the pressure of being close to them."

While Arroyo took positives from Villa's 2-0 FA Cup defeat to Manchester City last weekend, she felt conceding early in the second half is something her side cannot repeat.

"We cannot allow opponents to hurt us with the first chance. It makes it difficult to win," she said.

"We are coneding a lot of goals which is not allowing us to be in a lot of games.

"[But] the players are hungry, with energy, they want to win the game and breathe and enjoy because they are struggling a little bit with not winning."

Here are the other key lines from Arroyo ahead of Sunday's game (kick-off 14:00 GMT):

• Sarah Mayling misses out after twisting her ankle against City last weekend.

• Lucy Staniforth-Wilson and Maz Pacheco returned to training this week but will be assessed before Sunday.

• On three WSL games without scoring: "It has to do with the way we are creating chances, but also having the quality and ability to score big chances. [We must] keep trying and trust that the ball will go into the net at some point, believing in ourselves. We have goals in the squad."

• On lack of squad experience in relegation fights: "I'm talking to other coaches to listen to ideas, others who have been in these situations. We are with a psychologist to find the best way. We are trying to manage the emotions of the team."

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter

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Interim Manchester City manager Nick Cushing admits he is jumping in at the deep end as he prepares to face Chelsea four times in a row on his return to the club.

Cushing, 40, took over from Gareth Taylor when he was sacked on Monday, returning to City where he spent seven years between 2013 and 2020.

He will lead the side in Saturday's Women's League Cup final against Chelsea (12:15 GMT kick-off) before meeting them again in the Women's Champions League and Women's Super League.

Playing the English champions is "definitely not" an easy task, says Cushing, but he backs his side to disrupt Chelsea's quadruple chase.

"In the previous teams I had [at City], there were great people. I met this team this week and it is exactly the same," said Cushing.

"They are really good people with a real hunger to continue to win. I've been able to take these moments in my stride.

"The next four games are the ultimate challenge for our group, so we've got to embrace it and attack it."

Here are more key lines from Cushing's press conference:

• Winning the final on Saturday would "definitely be an achievement" says Cushing, given the quick turnaround since Gareth Taylor's sacking.

• He admits it was "strange" but "comforting" to walk into the training ground five years after leaving the club.

• Asked if he would consider staying on permanently or whether he has his mind set on returning to the men's game, Cushing said "you never know what is around the corner".

• City remain without several key players through long-term injuries but Aoba Fujino is set to be available after recovering from a foot injury.

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Gareth Taylor said "it's only natural to feel disappointed" after he was sacked by Manchester City, but that he is "genuinely excited" for the future of the club.

Taylor was sacked on Monday after four full seasons in charge of the women's team.

"I would like to wish everyone at Manchester City the very best for the rest of the season. Thank you to all the staff and the players," Taylor wrote on Instagram.

"It has been an absolute honour to represent the club, not only as a player but in a coaching role that has spanned over 16 years as coach of the boys' Under-16s, to head coach of the women's team.

"I've seen the club improve year after year and I was honoured to be a major part of that. I've worked with so many fantastic people, far too many to name, and had the pleasure of developing some exceptional talent along the way.

"Lastly, a special mention must go out to the supporters, who have been superb during my time at the club.

"It's only natural to feel disappointed having parted ways with the club, but I'm genuinely excited to see what the future holds."

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter

Crystal Palace understand what is at stake when they face Aston Villa in a crucial Women's Super League match on Sunday, says manager Leif Smerud.

The hosts sit four points below Villa at the bottom of the table in what could prove to be a decisive game.

"It's a great opportunity to close in and we of course know what kind of game this is so we're looking forward to it," said Smerud.

"We want to close the gap. It's probably a must-perform. That is my focus. We know we must compete.

"There are still many games left but everyone can read the table and understand what the game means. It is a must-perform and that is important."

Here are the other keys lines from his press conference:

• Palace have several doubts around team selection with Smerud needing to "assess" the squad before Sunday's showdown.

• He says there have been "steps" of progression since his arrival last month.

• They were tested defensively against Chelsea but Smerud believes he has been given "some good answers" to what they are capable of.

• Palace need to "make it an advantage to play at home" and capitalise on their run-in at the end of the season.

Alex Brotherton
BBC Sport journalist

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Liverpool interim manager Amber Whiteley says her side won't get carried away after defeating Arsenal 1-0 in the FA Cup quarter-finals.

Liverpool's victory on Sunday saw them reach the final four of the competition for the first time in nine years, but now they have a Women's Super League match against a Manchester United side that has won seven league games in a row.

"It was quiet on the bus journey home [from London] because the players put so much into the game, they gave absolutely everything, they were tired" Whiteley said ahead of Friday's match at Anfield.

"The performance on Sunday and the result has given us huge belief going into the game on friday. It's been a quick turnaround, we enjoyed the win but we've had to shift the focus quite quickly.

"We want to improve each week. We want to be more threatening in attack and more balanced, as well as conceding less goals. We've seen improvements in the first two games [of Whiteley's interim spell] but there is still lots of work to do. We'll keep chipping away."

Here are the other key lines from Whiteley ahead of Friday's game (kick-off 19:15 GMT)

• Leanne Kiernan and Niamh Fahey are available for selection after returning to training, but Hannah Silcock remains out with a knee injury.

• Whiteley is particularly pleased with the way Liverpool played without the ball against Arsenal

• On playing the match at Anfield: "We all want to play on the biggest stages. Anfield is a second home for us. We want to pack it out with our supporters, we'll need everyone to get behind us."

• On United: "I think they've gone under the radar a bit this season, they're peforming really well and not conceding a lot of goals. They're direct and quick in attack. It will be a tough task for us but one we are ready for."

Alex Brotherton
BBC Sport journalist

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Chelsea will be without Naomi Girma, Keira Walsh and Guro Reiten for Saturday's Subway Cup final against Manchester City after the trio failed to recover from injuries in time.

Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor had hoped that Girma and Walsh would return after missing the last two games, while Reiten returned from international duty with a back injury.

Speaking ahead of Saturday's final, Bompastor said Girma - who joined Chelsea for a world record-breaking fee of around £900,000 in January - is being evaluated "week by week", while Walsh is "not too far from rejoining the group."

On striker Sam Kerr continuing to recover from an ACL injury sustained 14 months ago, Bompastor said: "We just need to focus on what we do with her every day so that she can be close to coming back on the pitch.

"Every player is different, some can return from an ACL injury after 10 months, others 13 or 14. It's difficult to predict."

Here are the other key lines from Bompastor ahead of Saturday's final in Derby (kick-off 12:15 GMT).

• Sam Kerr has been included in Chelsea's squad for the Women's Champions League knockouts but Mia Fishel misses out. Bompastor says it was a "difficult decision."

• Bompastor is not expecting major changes from City under interim manager Nick Cushing following Gareth Taylor's departure, but expects a "hard and difficult game."

• Chelsea will take the four matches in a row against City "game-by-game."

• Bompastor is not feeling pressure to win her first trophy as Chelsea manager.

• Chelsea have been practicing penalties and Bompastor knows who her preferred takers are in a shootout.