Women's Super League

Emma Smith
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Crystal Palace manager Leif Smerud says there is "life after" relegation and his players should not be too downhearted about dropping out of the Women's Super League.

Palace's debut top-flight campaign will end on Saturday away to Manchester City with their relegation already confirmed.

But Smerud says there is still optimism in the camp and that the team is looking forward to a fresh start in the Championship next season.

"The experience of relegation shows there is a life after," he said.

"For teams facing the relegation monster, you think it is really bad. But a new chapter starts, the team has a lot to play for.

"It is not difficult to motivate players, everyone is looking forward to starting a new season."

Smerud replaced Laura Kaminski as Palace manager at the start of March, however the 48-year-old Norwegian has won only one of his seven WSL matches in charge.

He declined to comment on his future at his media conference on Thursday, saying his focus was only on the game against Man City.

Emma Smith
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Leicester manager Amandine Miquel says this season did not allow her to show her abilities as a manager amid a campaign of "struggle" in the Women's Super League.

Miquel took charge last summer, and has kept them in the WSL albeit while fighting against relegation throughout.

The Foxes are currently one point short of their total from last season with one game to go, at home to West Ham on Saturday.

Asked if this campaign has allowed her to show her best as a manager, Miquel said: "No I don't think it has. I have had all struggles you can have in your life, in one season.

"But people will look at the table, not in context. Just not being relegated is good enough, given everything we had to deal with. Hopefully we have a chance to start fresh next season, as a real first season."

Miquel, who joined Leicester from Reims for her first job outside of her native France, has had to deal with significant injuries and a lack of goal threat which saw the Foxes score just three times in their first 11 league matches.

Asked if this has been her hardest season as a coach, Miquel said: "Definitely. When you have to really struggle hard to get a starting 11 with no offensive players, it makes you think even harder on how to manage in that time. Any hard season is when you learn a lot."

Miquel however also wanted to focus on the positives of this season, including an improved defensive record which has seen Leicester concede 10 fewer league goals than in 2023-24.

But she said there would be plenty of change to come this summer in the transfer window, although she is not yet sure of her budget as she aims to extend Leicester's stay in the WSL.

"It's going to be a long transfer window, we must be calm and take our time to find right fit for positions," she said. "We do not know what squad we will have left, and the budget is not completely decided.

"I will spend my holiday in my office in Leicester to make sure we do not miss out on the right player."

Emma Smith
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Everton manager Brian Sorensen says he knows nothing about a rumoured move to Goodison Park for the women's team next season.

The Toffees host Tottenham at Walton Hall Park on Saturday in their final home game of the Women's Super League campaign.

Next season the men's side will leave Goodison Park for a new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, and there has been speculation that the women's team will permanently move into Goodison having played there occasionally previously.

But asked by BBC Sport whether the Spurs match will be their final game at Walton Hall, Sorensen said: "I know as much as you know. We will see what will happen."

Everton could finish as high as sixth in the WSL if they beat Spurs and other results go their way.

However they will face the London side without midfielders Hayley Ladd and Mel Lawley, who Sorensen said have come down with illness this week.

But a top-half finish would represent a strong season for Everton, who beat local rivals Liverpool at Anfield last weekend.

"We'll try to end as good as we can, there is a good vibe after beating Liverpool again," Sorensen said.

"It has been a long and tiring season, the longest I have had, so I am looking forward to a break.

"But we want to end on a high. We could end up in sixth, which no one would have thought 10 games ago."

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Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor says she is already thinking about what "adjustments" she needs to make to ensure her side can challenge for the Champions League next season.

Her side suffered a 8-2 thrashing to Barcelona over the two-legged semi-final last month, meaning a long-awaited European trophy eluded them for another season.

However, they followed that defeat by winning their sixth successive Women's Super League title and they will lift the trophy in their final league match on Saturday against Liverpool, before facing Manchester United in the Women's FA Cup final the following weekend.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live's Women's Football Weekly Podcast about her future plans, Bompastor said: "The short term is about getting a good result on Saturday but also winning another trophy. We need to make sure we stay focused on these goals.

"In the medium term I'm already thinking about next season and what adjustments do we need to make in terms of the squad and staff.

"But also I'm thinking about how we can make those adjustments just to make sure we compete in Europe in the Champions League."

The Frenchwoman said she was "really proud" of what all her players had achieved in her first year in charge but she singled out a few players, starting with defenders Lucy Bronze and Millie Bright.

"Their experience, their leadership in this team is great and they really had an impact on the team performance.

"When we talk about having a successful season we can talk about Hannah Hampton, who had a great season. I think she has been part of this success.

"I'm also thinking about Sandy Baltimore who just came and joined the club from France and she had a great season too."

Brighton claimed a maiden Women's Super League win over Arsenal at the 14th attempt on Monday evening, running out 4-2 winners over the Champions League finalists in their final home game of the season.

Here's what both managers said after the game:

Brighton boss Dario Vidosic: "We had to be brave, we had to be tough, we had to be resilient together today to have a chance. We were fantastic. The effort was rewarded.

"Sometimes you have to look away from the table and focus on the process. We want to work hard, be tough to play against and today we found our moments. We made it difficult for a world class team."

On goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley's performance: "We know the quality she has. We are fortunate to have quality goalkeepers. That was Baggas' chance. She has been staying ready. To be called in less than 10 minutes before kick-off, she was phenomenal."

Arsenal boss Renee Slegers: "We conceded nine goals in the last two WSL games and we just said as a team we don't think it's acceptable. We don't want this to happen. There are different reasons. The Villa game was a different game. We need to learn two very tough lessons coming off a big success. We have to learn. We have to find solutions and move forward."

On if the Champions League final is a distraction: "It's intense for the players with where we came from and what's ahead of us. We have to be in the moment. I will be working until late tonight and tomorrow we want to try and get the details right and put our finger on what it is and how we want to move forward."

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Brighton have confirmed five players will leave the club when their contracts expire at the end of the season.

Poppy Pattinson, Maria Thorisdottir, Guro Bergsvand, Dejana Stefanovic and Pauline Bremer are the players in question.

Thorisdottir and Bergsvand start in Monday's final home game of the season against Arsenal, Stefanovic is on the bench, while Pattinson and Bremer are not in the squad.

Boss Dario Vidosic knew the players were departing, but said he didn't know the news would be announced by the players on social media before kick-off in the final home game of the season.

Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: "I didn't know about it [that they'd announced their departures publicly] until a minute ago when you guys told me.

"It can be a positive - all the girls in the squad have been terrific, so it's an opportunity to be together with our fans."

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London City Lionesses owner Michelle Kang speaking to the BBC after her side's promotion to the Women's Super League: "It's so exciting for our players, for our coaching staff but also for our fans. This is a great day. This is more than I ever imagined and I'm so grateful.

"This is incredible for me and for women's football in England. When I first came here a lot of people were concerned for me. How can an independent women's team survive if you don't have the male team that can provide the brand and resources? Here we are. We made it. It just tells you that with proper investment and focus and resources anything is possible."

On why she chose to invest in London City: "Because it was the independent team. I wanted to make sure that it really doesn't matter if you have a men's team or not. I'm not saying only independent teams can do it, they are both models, but as an independent team with proper investment and focus, we can do this. We are the proof."

Manchester United came from 2-0 down to get the point they needed to secure a top-three Women's Super League finish - a result which means Manchester City miss out on Champions League qualification. Here is what both bosses said after the game:

Manchester United boss Marc Skinner: "It's going to take a little bit of sinking in. We have had a fantastic season so far. To show the grit to come back from 2-0 down, to go down to 10 players and take a result just shows the character.

"Not a lot of pundits had us finishing in the top three. I don't think there was one. It just shows the growth of this team and also how far we have to travel. We have two big games left but to get it done today means the world. I might even have a beer tonight."

Manchester City interim boss Nick Cushing: "It's painful. I said to the group that this falls below the standards of what we set at the start of the season and what we expect, but it's football and it's been a challenging moment for us. I'm proud of the players' character today to push until the end. Just unfortunate not to get the three points."

On the character shown: "It's the only thing we've got, it's the only thing we've had. We have players coming back but we are still missing key players. We knew today we would have to have character to be in this game and we showed a lot of it. We know this is about a reaction, it's about a reaction for our fans going into the Crystal Palace game and it's about a reaction to make sure we are challenging for trophies and Champions League places."

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Robert Vilahamn says it's up to Tottenham and the other Women's Super League sides to close the gap to Chelsea.

Chelsea wrapped up a sixth successive league title when they beat Manchester United 1-0 on Wednesday and are on course for an unbeaten season in Sonia Bompastor's first year in charge.

Vilahamn, whose Tottenham side host Chelsea on Sunday, praised the Blues for being "great role models" for the rest of the women's game and said the only way to halt their dominance is for other sides to simply "keep going".

"I'm very impressed by Chelsea for the last six seasons," Vilahamn said.

"What they are doing in the women's game is massive and they are great role models for many clubs to follow and we're trying to keep our pace to get there as well.

"Chelsea are so dynamic in how they play. That's the biggest strength they have. They have organisation, they have tactics, but they also have high quality players and the bench is high quality, so they can always find ways to get into the game or win the game.

"They showed in the transfer window around Christmas that they will keep investing, so us and other clubs need to keep going, otherwise they will extend the gap and we don't want that."

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Tottenham assistant Vicky Jepson will leave the club at the end of the season for a role with the United States women's youth teams.

Jepson joined Spurs in August 2021 after more than a decade at Liverpool. She was Spurs' interim head coach from March 2023 until the end of the season and helped the club secure WSL survival.

Since then, she has worked as Robert Vilahamn's assistant and helped the team secure their highest-ever WSL finish and reach a maiden FA Cup final last season.

Tottenham's managing director Andy Rogers said: "Vicky has been a great ambassador for our club. Her leadership helped us maintain our WSL status, and she has always been a driver of the growth and development of this team.

"In addition to the journey she's been on with Tottenham Hotspur, we are also proud of her for becoming one of just 17 women to achieve the Uefa Pro License. She now has the opportunity for a new challenge in one of the biggest international set-ups, and the club wishes her every success."