With an exciting week of Champions League action now in the rear-view mirror, all eyes are back on the Women’s Super League for matchday five.
Last weekend’s action saw Chelsea emerge victorious from a heavyweight clash with Arsenal – a result that ultimately cost Jonas Eidevall his job – and there also wins for table-topping Manchester City, Brighton and Hove Albion and Manchester United, who took down Tottenham Hotspur with an impressive 3-0 win at Leigh Sports Village.
There’s another huge London derby in store this time around, as Chelsea entertain Tottenham at Kingsmeadow, as well as important fixtures at the wrong end of the table. Newly-promoted Crystal Palace travel to Liverpool, while Leicester City and Everton lock horns looking to climb away from the relegation zone.
Here’s 90min’s preview of the upcoming action.
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Brighton’s clash with Manchester United should be one of the most competitive fixtures of the weekend, given how both teams have started the season.
The Seagulls look like a completely different side under new head coach Dario Vidosic, suggesting they will be competing for an upper mid-table finish rather than being embroiled in a relegation battle.
United have also started strongly, winning all three of their WSL games to date, and they appear to be far more organised under Marc Skinner. Summer signings Elisabeth Terland and Celin Bizet have bolstered the club’s firepower but it’s a trio of clean sheets for new number one goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce that has caught the eye.
In a game that could ebb and flow both ways, United may just have enough in the tank to register another three points.
Prediction: Brighton 1-2 Man Utd
Surprise 2023/24 package Liverpool haven’t enjoyed the best start to the season, but there have been signs that Matt Beard’s side are on the verge of turning things around.
The Reds were narrowly defeated by Man City in gameweek four and will fancy their chances against newly-promoted Crystal Palace, who had a baptism of fire in the opening two weeks of the season by losing 4-0 to Tottenham Hotspur and 7-0 to reigning champions Chelsea.
The Eagles did pick up a huge three points against Leicester in gameweek three but defeat against Brighton will have dampened spirits ahead of their trip to Merseyside.
Liverpool should have enough quality to get three points.
Prediction: Liverpool 3-1 Crystal Palace
Arsenal‘s inauspicious start to the season led to Jonas Eidevall’s surprise resignation on Tuesday – a sign that the Swede felt he had taken the Gunners as far as he could.
Renee Slegers has been handed the reins on an interim basis and kicked off her tenure with an important 4-1 win over Valerenga in the Champions League, though the result did mask what was a slightly underwhelming display.
The Gunners will focus on the positives though as they prepare to take on a West Ham United side who are yet to win in their opening four WSL games. Arsenal’s quality should shine through to pick up three points which would keep them within touching distance of the top three.
Prediction: West Ham 0-2 Arsenal
Manchester City have put behind them the disappointment of last season’s WSL title near miss, picking up 10 points from a possible 12 to sit top of the table,
Throw in a further two wins in the Champions League – including an impressive win over Barcelona – and you begin to understand why manager Gareth Taylor feels his side could go all the way this time around.
Aston Villa have struggled under new boss Robert de Pauw, recording a solitary victory over Crystal Palace in the Women’s League Cup, and are staring down the barrel of five WSL games without a win.
Prediction: Man City 3-0 Aston Villa
Leicester and Everton will both see their clash as a huge opportunity to record a first WSL win of the season.
The Foxes haven’t been as bad as their record suggests, putting in brave displays against Arsenal and Liverpool in recent weeks, and home advantage could be a huge factor as they look to grab all three points.
Everton are rooted to the foot of the table, having scored just once in four matches, and that lack of firepower could cost them dearly once more.
Prediction: Leicester 1-0 Everton
The Sonia Bompastor era is in full swing and Chelsea are riding high with a 100% winning record in both the WSL and Champions League.
Last weekend’s 2-1 win over Arsenal built on an impressive 3-2 win over Real Madrid in the Champions League, and Bompastor’s side were at it again midweek as a rotated XI breezed past Dutch giants FC Twente.
Tottenham have scored eight but also conceded eight in their first WSL outings which will be a big concern for manager Robert Vilahamn. The Spurs boss has aspirations of leading his side into the Champions League but knows things will have to tighten up at the back if the club are to achieve those lofty ambitions.
They may come unstuck once more against Chelsea, whose form and quality on paper is difficult to overlook.
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