• Everton have won just two of their 10 opening games of the season in the WSL (D2 L6), losing the last two. Their two wins both came away from home – 1-0 at Birmingham in 2019-20 and 4-0 at Bristol City in 2020-21.
• Everton have only lost one of their five home Women’s Super League games against Brighton and Hove Albion (W2 D2), a 1-0 defeat in November 2021 under Jean—Luc Vasseur.
• Brighton and Hove Albion conceded 63 goals in the Women’s Super League last season – in WSL history, only Bristol City in 2020-21 have ever conceded more in a season (72), with the Robins finishing bottom that campaign.
• Elisabeth Terland scored seven goals in the WSL for Brighton in 2022-23, second only to Inessa Kaagman in 2020-21 (eight) for the Seagulls in a season in the competition. Her seven goals made her the top scoring WSL player aged 21 or younger last season.

We've got an packed fixture list this afternoon with Everton v Brighton also coming up at 13:00 BST.

Let's take a look at that one.

BBC Two

You can watch this game live on BBC Two by pressing the 'play' icon at the top of this page.

Alex Scott, Fara Williams and Ellen White are at Villa Park.

As always you can have your say on today's action.

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Players are "scared" and "worried" at the raft of anterior cruciate knee ligament injuries in women's football, says Birmingham City's Siobhan Wilson.

Star players such as Leah Williamson and Vivianne Miedema have suffered the injury in the past few months.

"There were three or four players in the space of two weeks," defender Wilson, who injured her ACL in April, told The Sports Desk podcast.

"That's no coincidence. Every female player probably does have a worry."

• Listen to The Sports Desk on BBC Sounds - Climate of fear: What's the solution to women's football's ACL crisis?

Image source, Getty Images

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport at Villa Park

Image source, BBC Sport

Former Manchester United winger Kirsty Hanson is on the face of the match programme today as she lines up for Villa to take on her old club.

She was a hit on loan in the west Midlands last season and Villa worked hard to negotiate a permanent deal for the Scotland international in the summer.

Hanson impressed while on international duty last week, netting in a narrow defeat by England at Sunderland's Stadium of Light.

With Kenza Dali unavailable for the hosts, she could be a key player for Villa in an attacking role today.

United defender Gabby George is making her debut and could come against Hanson if she plays right-back.

That's a battle that would be interesting to see as Hanson will be very keen to show United what they turned away.

Image source, Getty Images

Last season was a record-breaking year in the Women's Super League and the new season promises to be no different with big stadiums and crowds "the norm now".

More than half of this weekend's games will be played at club's bigger stadiums, usually reserved for their men's sides.

Today's opening game between Aston Villa and Manchester United is taking place at Villa Park.

Arsenal could beat the WSL record attendance of 47,367 set last season (53,737 tickets sold) with 51,000 tickets sold for their game against Liverpool at Emirates Stadium.

"It's the norm in the WSL now" Liverpool manager Matt Beard said.

• Click here to read more from BBC Sport's Emily Salley.

Image source, Getty Images

It's been a busy transfer window in the WSL and we could see a number of World Cup stars make their debuts this afternoon.

Manchester United have Spain's Irene Guerrero, Brazil's Geyse and Japan's Hinata Miyazawa are among the Reds' recruits. Geyse starts, with the other two benched.

Aston Villa signed Netherlands keeper Daphne van Domselaar over the summer. She takes the number one spot.

• Read more: Which Women's World Cup stars are new to English football this season?

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Aston Villa had a brilliant 2022-23 and have shown ambition again this summer, making several smart signings - including England defender Lucy Parker - and retaining the core of last season's hugely successful squad. It is a big ask to break into the top four though, and while I think they will narrow the gap even more, I still think they need time to build a squad capable of competing with the top teams on a consistent basis.

Another fifth-placed finish and a decent cup run should be considered a success for Villa.

• Read the rest of Emma Sanders' Women's Super League predictions here

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Man Utd finished runners-up last season to qualify for the Champions League for the first time and they have bought players in the summer capable of playing at that level.

However, their squad will be heavily tested to compete on several fronts should they qualify for the Champions League group stages and the loss of full-back Ona Batlle to Barcelona and striker Alessia Russo to Arsenal will not have helped.

They still have enough quality to pip rivals Man City to a place in the top three if they remain consistent, but Chelsea and Arsenal have experience balancing multiple competitions and that should help them finish above United.

• Read Emma Sanders' Women's Super League predictions here

There are few Women's Super League players you would want to be standing over a set-piece more than Katie Zelem.

Her record from last season speaks for itself.

Image source, Manchester United

Manchester United manager Marc Skinner has warned that Women's Super League games this weekend could end up like 'walking football' given the levels of fixture congestion in the women's football calendar.

"I watched England's performances and I'm sure Sarina wasn't...it's not a usual England performance, right?

"It wasn't as fluid as they usually are, as they have been, and the players have just come off a World Cup coming into important games, difficult opponents. We were not at the races because the girls have to mentally reset as well as physically.

"I just hope it doesn't have a lag into the season. We all want this energetic start. I might get it wrong, but I'd imagine every game this opening weekend will end with walking football.

"By the last 20 minutes, it will probably be like walking football, because there will people that are fatigued, not up to scratch.

"From my perspective it's a crazy way to just shovel games in. I get the format, the intent, but I'm not even sure the international managers were happy with it. I think it's a strange window. It definitely wasn't ideal."

Image source, Manchester United FC

Manchester United captain Katie Zelem says that being at the club is 'about winning trophies'.

She spoke to Football Focus about England's World Cup campaign and what she expects at club level this season:

Aston Villa striker Rachel Daly was a more than welcome addition when she joined the club last season.

Will last season's Golden Boot winner be on the scoresheet this afternoon?

Image source, Aston Villa FC

Image source, Getty Images

Aston Villa's women's team are set to wear the club's sweat-heavy shirts for Sunday's Women's Super League opener against Manchester United.

Villa's male players have criticised the shirts, saying they are uncomfortable because they are retaining too much sweat.

BBC Sport understands Villa had hoped to resolve the issue by this weekend but that has not been possible, and talks with kit manufacturer Castore remain at a delicate stage.

Villa boss Carla Ward said her players have "similar concerns" about the shirts as the men's team, but remain focused on Sunday's game.

• Read more

• Manchester United spent more days on top of the Women’s Super League last season than any other side (105). That was 30 more days than they’d spent top of the league in their first three seasons combined (0 in 2019-20, 74 in 2020-21, 1 in 2021-22).
• Manchester United have won their last seven WSL matches, their longest ever winning run in the competition. Only Chelsea (also seven) are on as long an ongoing winning run in the WSL.
• Only Man Utd (34), Chelsea (31) and Man City (28) have won more points in the Women’s Super League in 2023 than Aston Villa (25), while the Villans have netted 34 goals in the competition this calendar year, with only Chelsea scoring more (35).
• Manchester United have scored 18 goals in six WSL games against Aston Villa, an average of three per game. They’ve also kept five clean sheets, conceding for the first time in the most recent meeting in April, a 3-2 win.

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport at Villa Park

Image source, BBC Sport

Aston Villa opened their campaign at Villa Park against another Manchester-based team last season and came out with a memorable victory.

Carla Ward's side recorded an impressive 4-3 win over Manchester City to kickstart what would go on to be a successful season.

Rachel Daly scored twice that day and would pick up the Golden Boot at the end of the campaign and Villa fans will be hoping she hits the ground running again in this match.

Manchester United have strengthened this summer and look like a very strong squad on paper.

The question for Marc Skinner will be how quickly those new signings can adapt to the WSL and to his style of play. It's therefore no surprise to see plenty of last season's regulars in the starting XI.

We've got a big campaign on the horizon but why not spend some time looking back at some of the best moments from last season.

From Katie McCabe's rocket against Manchester City to Lauren James' stellar solo effort against Tottenham Hotspur, here are the best goals of the 2022-23 season.

Available to UK users only

The Women's Super League returns today and it looks set to be the biggest season yet following the record-breaking Women's World Cup.

So who are the favourites this time around? Will the battle for Champions League qualification be the most competitive yet? And how can you follow this season's action?

Click the link below to find out everything you need to know:

• Everything you need to know about the new Women's Super League season