Women's Super League

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Manchester City boss Gareth Taylor said his side have shown a positive reaction after Saturday's Women's Super League defeat by Chelsea.

The 2-0 loss at Stamford Bridge was City's first defeat in all competitions this season and Taylor wants his side to bounce back when they face Hammarby in the Champions League on Thursday.

"I’ve been pleased with the reaction since Chelsea, the margins were tight in that game.

"Being able to train for last few days has been good, we’ve put thought into the game and want to finish on a high [before the international break]."

City will reach the last eight of the Champions League if they avoid defeat in Sweden.

Key players including Vivianne Miedema, Lauren Hemp and Laia Aleixandri are missing through injury, but Taylor said: "We’ve got a few bumps and bruises but we’ll put out a competitive team tomorrow."

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Leicester midfielder Ruby Mace spoke to BBC Radio Leicester after receiving her first senior England call-up.

On how she found out she was in the squad: "I got a message from my manager to say you're going to get a call so make sure you pick up and I actually missed the first call. I was doing the dishwasher, so that's why.

"I had to call the number back. Sarina Wiegman said that she wanted to call me up to the first team and I think my first response was, 'Oh my God, really?'. I was shocked.

"Since I was a kid it's been my dream to be in the England first team and to get the call, it felt so surreal."

On her family's reaction: "I told my dad [first]. Me and him are very close when it comes to football, and I know it would mean the world to him. My mum cried. My dad was close to tears and couldn't believe it. My whole family is just so proud."

On what it would mean to make her debut against the USA: "If it happens, it will be a dream come true and just the start for me. But I have to push all the emotions to the side until the game's finished.

"I'm grateful for Leicester [giving] me the platform to showcase what I can do. It's now just going and showing Sarina that you called me up for a reason, I'm going to prove to you why I've been called up."

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Arsenal having to move their Women's Champions League from Emirates Stadium because of a fixture clash with the men's side is "disappointing" but was "bound to happen" at some point, says former Gunners defender Jen Beattie.

They will now play their high-profile match against Bayern Munich on 18 December at Meadow Park in Borehamwood.

Mikel Arteta's side have an EFL Cup quarter-final against Crystal Palace on the same date, and it could not be moved because the Eagles have televised Premier League matches on the previous Sunday and the following Saturday.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live's Women's Football Weekly podcast, Beattie said: “There’s no doubt it’s disappointing but I knew there was always going to be a calendar clash at some point.

"We would maybe a bit naive to think there was never going to be. Champions League fixtures don’t get put in until quite last minute.

"It is disappointing, the fans will be gutted, especially the ones that bought tickets to go to that game. It will change the atmosphere but it’s not going to change the game. It’ll just change the experience and the spectacle of it."

Beattie says the club, which had promised to play all the team's European fixtures at the club's main stadium, need to look at how it happened and how they can fix it going forwards.

"I honestly believe it’s a one-off. I don’t think it’s really anyone’s fault. It might feel like going backwards a bit but it’s short term.

"It’s not a bad solution going back to Borehamwood, it’s been there home for so many years. They are comfortable there."

Hear more from Beattie on the Women's Football Weekly podcast.

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 England squad announcement ahead of friendlies against USA and Switzerland.

Hear from Lioness boss Sarina Wiegman on her selections, injury issues including Lauren Hemp and on the excitement around facing Emma Hayes at Wembley.

In the WSL, Ellen and Jen discuss Chelsea’s dominance with a record unbeaten run and what didn’t work out for Manchester City on the day.

Listen now on BBC Sounds.

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Manchester United manager Marc Skinner says the club will "keep assessing" midfielder Ella Toone following her calf injury.

The England international has been ruled out of United's League Cup game against Everton on Wednesday and their Women's Super League visit to Chelsea on Sunday, as well as the Lionesses' upcoming fixtures with the United States and Switzerland.

The boss said she picked up the injury in training before their WSL win over Leicester on Sunday.

"She'll miss the international window where we'll keep assessing her time and then, we'll see whether she's back for the block of three games after that," said Skinner, at a media conference on Tuesday.

But Skinner said Emma Watson and Jess Simpson, who both suffered anterior cruciate ligament injuries last season, could both make their debuts in United's midweek game.

Tom Gayle
BBC Radio 5 Live reporter at the King Power Stadium

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Without doubt Marc Skinner is one of the most talked about managers in the Women’s Super League.

Manchester United’s global profile means scrutiny over their results will always be intense, with the most vociferous critique often coming from within the clubs own fanbase.

For the majority of 2024, sections of the Manchester United support - both online and more notably in the stands at games - have made it clear they feel a head coaching change is needed.

Winning, often, but not always, silences critics. A 2-0 victory away to a struggling Leicester City understandably won’t appease those who crave the offensive clarity which still hasn’t been resolved nearly 18 months on from Alessia Russo’s departure.

However, from a more optimistic perspective, the performance I witnessed from the stands further reinforced Manchester United’s current greatest strength - their defence.

Never before has the club conceded just two goals from their opening seven WSL games. Manchester City are the only other team to concede fewer - during the starts they made in 2016 en route to winning the title, and in 2019-20, where they eventually finished runners-up.

Speaking to the group of radio reporters afterwards Skinner was keen to highlight “another clean sheet”, demonstrative with his delight at restricting Leicester to just one shot on target, and notably proud of how well they “defended as a team”.

Further encouragement comes via the numbers put up by Phallon Tullis-Joyce, who has been rewarded with a call-up to the USA national side. No other WSL goalkeeper has ever kept more than the five clean sheets she has registered in her first seven appearances in the English top flight.

Another is the form of Gabby George, whose performances have surely caught the eye of Sarina Wiegman ahead of tomorrow's Lionesses squad announcement.

Sir Alex Ferguson famously once said "attack wins you games, defence wins you titles".

Whilst I don’t believe Manchester United will go on to be crowned champions this season, Skinner’s defensive nous is something to be admired heading into their toughest league test so far, away to the only other unbeaten side, Chelsea.

The relegation battle is shaping up to be one of the most closely contested the Women's Super League has seen, with just two points separating the bottom half of the table.

Newcomers Crystal Palace currently prop up the table on five points, but they are only below West Ham and Leicester on goal difference.

Aston Villa and Everton both claimed their first wins of the season at the weekend to move on to six points, while Tottenham are just one point better off in seventh place.

Former England midfielder Fara Williams told the Women’s Football Show: "Villa definitely shouldn’t be there [near the bottom] given their squad.

"They have a squad which is certainly capable of competing higher up. Now they’ve got their first win under their belts I’m sure they will start to pick up more points.

"When you look at the teams in the bottom, they will be looking at it as being a win away from jumping five spaces in the league. That gives the teams down there confidence."

Crystal Palace started the campaign as one of the favourites to go down but former England midfielder Anita Asante says they have "shown they have enough in their performances to rise in the table".

For more analysis watch the Women’s Football Show, where you can catch all the highlights from the weekend’s six matches.

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter

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There is no sugar-coating how difficult Everton's season has been, so their first victory of the campaign against local rivals Liverpool carries greater significance.

To do it in their final Women's Super League game at Goodison Park to move off the bottom of the table just capped it off.

Brian Sorensen has had to deal with an injury crisis and financial limitations in the transfer window but criticism was growing as Everton's winless run continued.

They have had their share of bad luck so it felt like a matter of time before their fortunes would overturn and they were forunate to have been awarded a controversial penalty.

But as Sorensen said afterwards: "We'll take it".

This was a game that needed a result, not a performance, and Everton got what they came for.

With just four points separating Liverpool in sixth and Crystal Palace in 12th, suddenly Everton's position does not look quite as precarious.

Manchester United got back to winning ways after three consecutive draws with a 2-0 win over Leicester at the King Power Stadium. Here is what both managers said after the game.

Leicester boss Amandine Miquel: "I think there were good moments, not enough but a bit more than the last game. Offensively we had created a few chances. We were a bit higher on the pitch which is good. Defensively we are still strong but it was a mistake and maybe a lack of focus. The same thing happened to us against West Ham. We need to be much more precise in everything we do. The energy and the intentions were there.

On losing concentration: "We need to continue working in training and recreate those moments when you are a bit tired. We need to make sure we keep on pushing together and stay positive. When results aren't going your way, you tend to look for excuses. Everyone has to do their best individually first and it will make the group a bit better."

Man Utd boss Marc Skinner: "I'm really pleased. I thought against Brighton, we were the better team. We should have had a penalty. When it came to the other two games, we didn't attack enough. Our touches in the box were too passive. We looked at it this week and decided to be more aggressive. Today we were way more aggressive. We were higher up the field and won our duels more.

On facing Leicester at a good time: "I wouldn't disrespect the opponent. It's good for us to get against our shape. the reality is we would have tried to attack more today anyway. I'm really happy with that performance. It's another clean sheet."

Everton got their first Women's Super League win of the season by beating rivals Liverpool at Goodison Park. Here is what both managers told Sky Sports after the game:

Everton boss Brian Sorensen: "It was magic. So proud of the girls, they really deserve it. We have been a bit unfortunate at times this season and today it was a bit on our side but we gave everything we had on the pitch. And there were some crazy minutes at the end."

On the penalty: "I haven't seen it back so I don't know but it is given and we took the chance. Still we created some opportunities on the transitions which was more of the plan today."

Liverpool boss Matt Beard: "What can I say? It's not a penalty. I get more and more frustrated. There are moments where the officials have let my players down today. It is not a penalty for them, it is outside the box.

"Ultimately the referee's decision has cost us potentially three points today. I said before the game Everton are a tough side when they get in front they are hard to break down. So for them to be gifted an opportunity like that, the referee has a great view, the lineswoman has a great view, no obstructions, and between them they come up with that decision."

Emma Smith
BBC Sport journalist at King Power Stadium

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Before this game, defender Maya Le Tissier said there was "a lot more" Manchester United can improve on despite an unbeaten start to the campaign.

Three successive draws led to boos and calls for manager Marc Skinner to go after the 0-0 draw with Aston Villa last Sunday.

More than the result was the poor showing against Villa, where United had just one shot on target in 103 minutes.

Here, while far from perfect, United did heed Le Tissier's words and showed a lot more. They were more direct going forwards and much more willing to take shots and try something different.

They had a total of 23 shots, six on target - much more like what would be expected from a top three challenger.

Eventually they wore down a disciplined Leicester side, and earned a deserved victory.

Charlotte Coates
BBC Sport journalist

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Aston Villa have been one of the surprise packages of the Women's Super League season but for all of the wrong reasons.

Robert de Pauw's side had slipped to the bottom of the league after not picking up a win in their opening seven games this term.

After looking like they were coasting to their first victory, Annabel Blanchard calmly netted an equaliser for Crystal Palace in the 86th minute and the story would have been been completely different for Villa.

Instead, Ebony Salmon came to the rescue as the substitute fired into the top corner with the last kick of the game to send Villa Park wild.

Not only have Villa secured their first win of the season but they have also cemented their first three points at home since December 2023.

De Pauw's side have talent in abundance with Rachel Daly netting her fourth of the season and Gabi Nunes continuing to adapt to life in the WSL.

A trip to Arsenal awaits Villa in their next WSL with winnable games against West Ham and Everton following.

Villa are up to eighth, who knows where they will sit in the table by the time the winter break comes around.