Key events
Chelsea are, of course, the team everyone is chasing. The champions began their tilt at a seventh successive title on Friday night but were given a run for their money by Manchester City at Stamford Bridge:
Leicester are the only side starting the campaign without a manager after the sacking of Amandine Miquel 10 days ago. Rick Passmore was appointed as interim manager earlier this week and has had just two sessions with the team before facing Manchester United today.
“The last couple of days have been manic, a whirlwind,” Passmore said this week. “I would love to stay at this club.”
Manchester United v Leicester team news:
Manchester United (4-4-2): Tullis-joyce; Rivier, le tissier, Jansen, sandberg; Tone, zigio, miyazawa, bizet; Malard, Terland
Subs: Middleton-Patel, Turner, Naalsund, Park, Griffiths
Leicester (4-2-3-1): Leitzig; Ale, kees, boureilla, thibaud; Tierney, Cayman; Cain, Van Egmond, O’Brien; Eríksdótir
Subs: Clark, Wellesley-Smith, Rantala, Payne, Las, McLoughlin, Sherwood, Ayane, Kaczmar
Tottenham v West Ham team news:
Tottenham (4-3-3): Cop; Koga, Hunt, Rybrink, Nildén; Dennis, Spence, Summanen; Held, England, Naz
Subs: Ahtinen, Tandberg, Graham, Grant, Gunning-Williams, Heeps, Jackson, Maite Oroz
West Ham (4-2-3-1): Eyes; Denton, Nyström, Zadorsky, Hanshaw; Siren, Gorry; Piubel, Ueki, Assyi; Martinez
Subs: Bellomou, Brasero-Carreira, Cemal, Houssein, Morgan, Pavi, Tysiak, Walsh, Wandeler
Spurs finished second bottom last season but there is hope for improvement under former Everton and Manchester United assistant manager Martin Ho.
As for West Ham, they have the winner of the Women’s Super League’s Rising Star award for last season: Shekiera Martinez.
Brighton v Aston Villa team news:
Brighton (4-3-3): nnadozie; Mclauchlan, Rule, Minami, Olislagers; Kirby, Cankovic, Symonds; Seike, Haley, Agyemang
Subs: Auée, Baggaley, Camacho, Carabalá, Hayes, Noorder, Ryner, Tusno
Aston Villa (3-4-1-2): D’Angelo; Wilms, Patten, Deslanders; Grant, Kearns, Baijings, Maritz; Daly; Salmon, Hanson
Subs: Kelly, Kendall, Maltby, Mayling, Mullett, Parker, Roebuck, Taylor
The Gareth Taylor era at Liverpool begins with the visit of Everton to Anfield in the Merseyside derby. The Reds finished 7th last season and will want to kick on now under the former Manchester City manager.
As Tom Garry points out, Everton have won on each of their last five trips to Anfield, which their manager Brian Sørensen joked was “our training pitch” last season.
Merseyside derby team news
Liverpool (4-3-3): kirby; Fisk, bonner, evans, voodham; Nagano, Hübinger, Kerry; HOLLAND, ENDERBY, KAPAPOCS
Subs: Morgan, Parry, Risa, Kiernan, Roman H, Olsson, Clark, MacLean, Silcock
Everton (4-3-3): brosnan; Robinson, Ishikawa, Fernández, Pacheco; Hayashi, van gool, ladd; Vignola, snoeijs, momiki
Subs: Ramsey, Wheeler, Payne, Gago, Weir, Stenevik, Holmgaard, Mace
In case you missed it yesterday, Arsenal got off to a winning start as they look to challenge Chelsea in the title race. The Gunners didn’t have it all their own way though, having to come from behind against promoted London City Lionesses.
Suzanne Wrack was there to watch £1m signing Olivia Smith turn the game in Arsenal’s favour:
Preamble
Hello and welcome to Sunday in the Women’s Super League. Four teams have already kicked off their campaigns and the rest will follow at 12pm (BST) today. Four matches kick off simultaneously at midday and we’ll endeavour to bring you all the key moments from each of them. Those getting their season under way today are …
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Brighton v Aston Villa (at Crawley’s Broadfield Stadium)
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Liverpool v Everton (at Anfield)
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Manchester United v Leicester (at Leigh Sports Village)
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Tottenham in West Ham (at Leyton Orient’s Brisbane Road)
That’s a Merseyside derby and a London derby, plus Michelle Agyemang’s second Brighton debut – and all starting before we’ve even thought about lunch.
If you’d like to get in touch with your predictions for the season or thoughts on Chelsea and Arsenal’s opening victories, you can email me here.
