We have reached the midway mark within the WSL, with the title race and Champions League battle shaping up properly, whereas final weekend’s outcomes imply we would actually have a relegation scrap on our palms.
Gameweek 11 sees the reverse fixtures from what ended up being the opening weekend of motion happen – and what a gap weekend it was.
However can this weekend stay as much as drama of the opening day?
This is all the pieces to look out for in gameweek 11 of the WSL.
Aston Villa and Manchester Metropolis performed out one of many video games of the season once they met at Villa Park on the opening day of the 2022/23 marketing campaign, with a previously goal-shy Villa reaping the advantages of latest attacking recruits Rachel Daly, Kirsty Hanson and Kenza Dali as they ran out 4-3 winners.
Carla Ward’s facet had led 2-0 after which trailed 3-2 in a breathless encounter, earlier than targets from Dali and Daly secured a shock three factors for Villa – their first ever WSL victory over one of many league’s ‘large 4’.
“That day I used to be emotionally drained on 90 minutes,” stated Ward. “It was an unbelievable sport of soccer that I’ve watched again a couple of instances. I feel [Saturday] might be very totally different. Manchester Metropolis have progressed massively, as have we.”
Manchester Metropolis vs Aston Villa
When is kick off? Saturday 21 January, 11:30 (GMT)
The place is the match being performed? Academy Stadium
TV channel/stay stream? Sky Sports activities Premier League (UK), FA Participant (Worldwide)
What time does protection begin within the UK? 11:00 (GMT)
Referee? Cheryl Foster
Liverpool surprised reigning champions Chelsea on the opening day of the marketing campaign, with a pair of Katie Stengel penalties seeing the newly promoted Reds to a shock 2-1 victory.
The pair have skilled differing fortunes since, with Chelsea successful 9 from 10 and Liverpool successful only one from eight. Chelsea have by no means misplaced at house within the WSL to a newly promoted facet, with the one high flight newbies to take factors off the Blues at Kingsmeadow being West Ham in 2018 – a facet managed by Liverpool boss Matt Beard.
“We simply want to reply after Sunday (dropping 6-0 to Manchester United),” stated Beard. “Chelsea have gone on an excellent run, had an important Champions League marketing campaign as nicely. We have performed them as soon as, we have crushed them as soon as, so we are able to take confidence from that day. However we’d like to ensure we give an excellent account of ourselves on Sunday.”
Chelsea vs Liverpool
When is kick off? Sunday 22 January 12:30 (GMT)
The place is the match being performed? Kingsmeadow
TV channel/stay stream? BBC Two/BBC iPlayer/BBC Sport web site (UK), Paramount+ (USA), FA Participant (worldwide)
What time does protection begin? 12:15
Referee? Paul Howard
Everton and West Ham each went into the 2022/23 marketing campaign with new managers within the dugout within the form of Brian Sorensen and Paul Konchesky. The pair have taken shortly to life within the high flight, with their sides stage on factors in fifth and sixth respectively after each picked up 5 wins within the first half of the season.
Neither Sorensen nor Konchesky had managed within the WSL previous to this time period – Konchesky had been former Hammers’ boss Olli Tougher’s assistant coach, whereas Sorensen had solely labored in his native Denmark.
Each made their WSL managerial debuts towards each other within the reverse fixture in September, with West Ham successful 1-0. The Hammers try to finish a WSL double over Everton for the very first time.
“I feel each groups have advanced over the season,” stated Sorensen. “The type of play that we’ve, all people is extra on board with it now. Offensively it is getting significantly better, creating many extra alternatives. I feel West Ham has somewhat totally different method – extra ruthless in the way in which they take a look at issues. For us it is about: can we preserve the momentum?”
Everton vs West Ham
When is kick off? Sunday 22 January 13:00 (GMT)
The place is the match being performed? Walton Corridor Park
TV channel/stay stream? FA Participant (UK & Worldwide)
Referee? Tom Nield
Mary Earps will turn into the primary goalkeeper in WSL historical past to achieve 50 clear sheets if Manchester United are capable of cease Studying from discovering the online on Sunday.
United are but to concede a single league aim towards anybody apart from final season’s high three and Earps’ seven clear sheets in 10 video games up to now is the main mark at this stage of the marketing campaign.
The 29-year-old has been across the WSL since day one when the competitors started in 2011 and has at all times been extremely regarded. However it’s within the final 18 months particularly that she has reached new ranges, firmly establishing herself as world class – as underlined by her current nomination for The Greatest FIFA Ladies’s Goalkeeper award for 2022.
Earps deserves large credit score for United’s excellent defensive document this season – presently tied with Arsenal as finest within the WSL – having made a number of high saves all through the course of the marketing campaign on the few events that the again 4 in entrance of her has been breached.
“She is laser focus,” United boss Marc Skinner stated earlier this season. “Her athleticism, her focus…simply that rock behind us. You discover in video games, our keepers don’t do a lot, however once they do we’d like them to return large as a result of each staff may have a second in a sport.”
Studying vs Man Utd
When is kick off? Sunday 22 January, 14:00 (GMT)
The place is the match being performed? Madejski Stadium
TV channel/stay stream? FA Participant (UK & Worldwide)
Referee? Richie Watkins
Leicester secured their first WSL factors of the season on the tenth time of asking towards Brighton final weekend, working out 3-0 winners to probably depart us with an actual relegation battle on our palms.
The end result leaves the Foxes simply 4 factors behind Brighton and Studying, and victory over an out of shape Spurs – within the midst of a membership document WSL dropping streak of 5 on the bounce – on Sunday may depart Willie Kirk’s facet inside touching distance of security.
“It will be large,” Kirk stated on the prospect of consecutive league victories. “It will make a couple of different groups actually uncomfortable if we have been to select up back-to-back wins and as a lot as our focus is on us, the truth of the scenario is we wish as many individuals dragged into that as potential. We all know that if we are able to win on Sunday it may possibly drag one other staff into that relegation battle.”
Tottenham vs Leicester
When is kick off? Sunday 22 January 14:00 (GMT)
The place is the match being performed? Brisbane Highway
TV channel/stay stream? FA Participant (UK & Worldwide)
Referee? Stacey Pearson
Arsenal have had one of many WSL’s most fun switch home windows, bringing in midfielders Victoria Pelova and Kathrine Kulh, in addition to goalkeeper Sabrina D’Angelo.
Pelova is already a seasoned Netherlands worldwide on the age of 23 and impressed towards Arsenal for Ajax within the Champions League qualifiers at the start of the season, whereas Kuhl is a highly-rated teenage expertise who notably caught the attention in Denmark’s slim Euro 2022 group stage defeat to Spain.
All three have been unused substitutes towards Chelsea – Eidevall citing lack of coaching time since signing as a significant component – however may expertise their first style of WSL soccer towards Brighton on Sunday.
“The way in which it really works with registration and dealing permits and so forth, these gamers haven’t had a variety of coaching with us,” Eidevall stated post-Chelsea. “These gamers have been solely capable of be registered right here virtually as a final minute factor for the sport. It is at all times simple to be interested by the sport on reflection however I believed we had management of the sport and I did not suppose there was any want to vary.”
Brighton vs Arsenal
When is kick off? Sunday 22 December, 18:45 (GMT)
The place is the match being performed? Broadfield Stadium
TV channel/stay stream? Sky Sports activities Soccer/Premier League (UK), Paramount+ (USA), FA Participant (Worldwide)
What time does protection begin within the UK? 18:30 (GMT)
Referee? Amy Fearn
