Women’s football

EMMA HAYES has tipped Sam Kerr to break goalscoring records at Chelsea after choosing to extend her Kingsmeadow career.The Blues boss, whose team plays Servette in the Champions League, was speaking a day after the striker signed a two-year contract extension.
Emma Hayes says Sam Kerr wants to win club football’s biggest prizes with ChelseaCredit: Rex
The new deal between Kerr, who sealed a headline-grabbing November 2019 switch from US side Chicago Redstars, will see her remain at the club until 2022. 
Hayes told reporters: “We all support Sam to achieve everything she wants and I think she will go on to score record numbers of goals for this team.
“For us to compete and go even further, her learnings will be critical.
“She is such a big game player, but not a big timer and I have to make that really clear.
“Sam is an amazing teammate who has humility, works hard work and is a great person to be around.
“But make no mistake, she wants to be on the winning team and competing for the top trophies or else she wouldn’t stay here.
“We expect her to continue to drive those standards and be recognised as one of the best football players in the world.”

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The Blues’ current all-time leading scorer is playmaker Fran Kirby with whom Kerr has established one of the most feared strike partnerships in Europe.
The England ace broke the Blues’ goal record previously set by Eni Aluko, when she notched up her 70th for the league champs in December 2020.
Hayes expects Kerr, who was last season’s WSL’s Golden Boot winner last, will look to improve on her tally of 21 goals in 22 top-flight games last term.
And the Australia skipper has become an influential figure for up-and-coming talent in Chelsea’s academy.
Kerr has established a formidable partnership in front of goal with Fran KirbyCredit: Getty
Hayes added: “We’ve got a young striker in the club, Emma Thomas, a really good prospect.
“I’m pretty certain she will be soaking up every minute she can when she trains with Sam or when she’s watching her because she’s a great role model for our players.
“Every player should be watching her day-in, day-out to see her movement and decision-making on the ball.”
Chelsea’s clash with Swiss side Servette comes four days before their home duel with Birmingham on Sunday.
By then the champions will be playing their third match in the space of seven days.
Clubs’ playing loads have been a hot topic this week with Arsenal chief Jonas Eidevall describing his team’s schedule as ‘almost inhuman’.
To be able to compete on all fronts, you have to trust the entire benchEmma Hayes
The League leaders’ suffered a massive blow with their centre-back Leah Williamson ruled for the rest of this year with a ‘significant’ hamstring injury after playing three times in six days.
With matches racking up for WSL teams competing on all fronts this season Hayes insists squad rotation is crucial.
The Chelsea chief said: “I can’t speak on Jonas’s behalf. What I will say is that you have a squad for a reason.
“I have to utilise the squad here and make sure that I keep everyone healthy.
“We’re used to playing a game every three or four days and have been for a long time now.
Hayes believes squad rotation will be crucial for Chelsea and WSL sides with the busiest fixture schedulesCredit: Conor Molloy/News Images
“We’ve got a hell of a schedule coming up.
“After the international camp, we play the FA Cup Final on Sunday (December 5); Juventus on Wednesday (December 8) and Reading on Saturday morning.
“It is what it is, and I trust the group of players we’ve got the everybody has to be ready for those games.
“To be able to compete on all fronts, you have to trust the entire bench.”
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MARC SKINNER believes Gareth Taylor will fight tooth and nail to get his side back to their best form after the Man City boss was quizzed on his future.Skinner’s Manchester United side will take on Taylor’s players in the Conti Cup days after Chelsea crushed City at home in the league.
Man Utd boss Marc Skinner has backed Gareth Taylor and Man City to bounce back from their loss to ChelseaCredit: Getty
Gareth Taylor’s Man City will be looking for a win against United in their league cup group stage clashCredit: Sportimage
And the result- which was one of their worst-ever losses in the top-flight- has led to questions on whether the Academy Stadium chief should consider his position.
Skinner, 38, said: “Gareth has been in the game a long time, so he understands when you’re at a club like Manchester City, you’re expected to get the results that continue to push you in the direction you want to be. 
“He believes in what he does, he believes in the football his players play, he will continue to fight for this team to get the best results out of them.” 
Skinner also reckons WSL managers will come under increased scrutiny with the league’s historic, megabucks TV deal putting bosses and teams under a bigger spotlight.
A Nielsen Sports study predicted the women’s top-flight could be on course to attract a UK TV audience of 14.5 million.
This would make the league the nation’s fourth-most viewed domestic division.

The Red Devils boss added: “We (managers in the WSL) are in a position where we’re open to that scrutiny.
“We’ll always be open to opinions as long as it doesn’t become personal.
“I don’t think there’s a manager in the game that doesn’t want their team to win.
“And so long as everyone knows that, then we’ll always be open to opinions. We have to deal with that.”
 Skinner also backed City aces Georgia Stanway’s and Alex Greenwood’s view that public opinions on WSL players and managers on social media should not evolve into online abuse.
The Leigh Park Village gaffer said: “I personally come off social media because, you as there is sometimes quite a lot of negativity on there.
“Alex Greenwood and Georgia Stanway did a really good interview where they spoke about scrutiny (of players via social media) becoming personal.
“I think as long as the focus is on the game strategy and football we are open to it.”
If the right players appear, then we will be looking to enter (the January transfer market)Marc Skinner
Skinner hinted United’s Conti Cup matches could see some of the club’s Academy starlets given some minutes with their Under-21 players having won their last four games in the academy league.
And the Red Devils boss has not ruled out the possibility of strengthening his side in January with his team vying for a Champions League spot.
Skinner hinted that Manchester United may consider strengthening in the January transfer windowCredit: Reuters
Skinner added: “We will always look. A club like Man Utd cannot sit in the moment.
“It has to continue to try and push forwards. That includes players here.
“If the right players appear, then we will be looking to enter (the January transfer market). We need healthy competition.”
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BRIGHTON leapfrogged Tottenham into third with an injury-time winner against Leicester.Maisie Symonds’ late strike for Albion curved in beyond a leaping Kirstie Levell consigned the Foxes to a seventh straight defeat.
Maisie Symonds late strike saw Brighton move to third in the table and three points behind ChelseaCredit: Alamy
Simone Magill (pictured right) helped Everton capitalise on a Man United defensive mix-up to seal a drawCredit: Getty
The result means the Foxes are yet to register a point in the top-flight with the club facing Durham in the Conti Cup before Everton in the league.
Seagulls boss Hope Powell told the BBC: “I have to give a lot of credit to Leicester. We knew they would be well organised and tough to break down but we kept going and got the goal in the end.
“It was a great goal to win it and it’s nice to be up in the top three but we know we can do better.
“There will be things we can work on after we review the game but we’ll enjoy the three points.”
Manchester United suffered late draw drama away to the Toffees.
A mix-up between Mary Earps and Marie Thorisdottir saw Simone Magill capitalising to level for the Toffees.

The Northern Ireland’s ace’s 76th-minute goal saw Everton boss Jean-Luc Vasseur pick up his first WSL point.
After the game, United boss Marc Skinner told Sky Sports: “Either the keeper comes clean and takes it or the defence clears it.
“It is back to those decisions and we are so close, just the little details”.
Elsewhere, Aston Villa nabbed the win and bragging rights from their Second City derby duel with Birmingham.
Anita Asante’s bullet first-half header saw Carla Ward’s side go sixth in the table.
Ward said: “The three points are massive. At half-time, we were disappointed to have only been 1-0 up. We should have been out of sight by half-time.
Anita Asante’s 25th-minute header helped Aston Villa move to sixth in the tableCredit: PA
“We needed to move the ball quicker and we didn’t do enough with it. We knew how to hurt them but we didn’t do it well enough.”
Elsewhere Reading battled from two goals down to snatch a point away at West Ham.
Goals from Abbey-Leigh Stringer and 19-year-old Emma Harries saw Kelly Chambers’ resilient Royals seal a 2-2 draw.
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GARETH TAYLOR is adamant he is STILL the right man to lead Manchester City forward after another WSL trouncing. Chelsea scored the fastest league goal of the season after Jessie Fleming netted inside two minutes during the 4-0 defeat following a defensive mistake.
Jessie Fleming opened the scoring for Chelsea in a 4-0 win over Man CityCredit: Getty
Sam Kerr netted her sixth WSL goal of the season to double Chelsea’s leadCredit: Rex
Further goals from Sam Kerr, Fran Kirby and Magda Eriksson inflicted a third home loss for City, who are now ninth, ten points behind leaders Arsenal.
The result piled the pressure on City boss Taylor and when asked if he is considering his position, the Welshman said: “There’s nothing for me to consider.
“Until I’m told anything different, I carry on and I work as hard as I’ve ever done.
“I’m working so hard in this period, with a lot of constraints with the injuries that we have, but the players today showed me that we are capable of playing the way we want to play. 
“We just need that little bit of good fortune, to be more ruthless in attack when it matters and cut out errors at the back. 
“We know Chelsea are a very good team. Our attitude still is to qualify for Europe.”

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The Blues may not have expected the gift of a goal on their rivals’ home turf just 66 seconds after the first whistle.
This came courtesy of a dodgy pass from Karima Taieb, which was intercepted by Fleming.
And the Canada star made no mistake coolly slotting home with the City stopper having kept just one clean sheet in seven games this term.
The hosts, eager to make amends, went on the attack and came close levelling through Caroline Weir in the eighth minute.
Lauren Hemp and Caroline Weir were City’s biggest threats going forwardCredit: Getty
A well-timed through ball from Keira Walsh saw the Scotland ace put through on goal with Ann-Katrin Berger pulling off a fine save.
And they had a half-decent scoring chance from a corner with Alex Greenwood’s header which was caught by the keeper.
A rare Blues lapse at the back saw Lauren Hemp clean through before a collision with Berger led to both needing treatment.
There were questions over whether there should have been a pen with televised replays showing Berger making contact with the forward.
On the incident, Taylor said: “From where I was I could see Lauren got to the ball first and when that happens and there’s contact, it’s a penalty.”
We were prepared for a technical onslaught from Man City, but we adapted so well to it.Emma Hayes
Despite having 60 per cent of possession, the hosts conceded on the stroke of half-time through Kerr moments after Georgia Stanway was dispossessed.
The second half saw Chelsea turn the screw with two quickfire goals.
First through Kirby curling in a stunning top corner strike in the 53rd minute and Eriksson leaping high to head past an outstretched Taieb following a corner.
The hosts had a strong chance of nabbing a consolation goal through Hemp.
But Berger snuffed out the danger before being replaced by Zecira Musovic near the 80th minute
And the title holders saw out the win with a Champions League game against Servette up next.
It was the WSL champs’ first top-flight win at the Academy Stadium with the result cutting Arsenal’s lead to just a point.
Emma Hayes said her team played like championsCredit: Rex
On her team’s performance, Emma Hayes said: We knew this was going to be a very difficult game.
“We were prepared for a technical onslaught from Man City, but we adapted so well to it. We played like champions.
“They may have had more passes of the ball but I think Ann only had one save to make.”
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GARETH TAYLOR insists Manchester City’s duel with Chelsea will not be a revenge mission in his eyes even if his players see things differently.The Citizens’ home clash with Emma Hayes’ side is one of the biggest matches of Women’s Football Weekend with City eager to make up ground on the Blues.
Gareth Taylor says a win against Chelsea would be an opportunity for Man City to gain ground on their rivalsCredit: Rex
And a win for Emma Hayes’ team could see them reduce the gap to leaders Arsenal to just a point.
The clash comes two weeks after City, who are seventh, were knocked out of this year’s delayed FA Cup semi-finals by Chelsea.
When asked whether City will be out to avenge their Cup semis loss, Taylor, 48, said: “I don’t see it as being revenge, I just see it as being a real opportunity.
“The players might look at it slightly different, but again, our challenge has been to keep them grounded, keep them humble, keep them believing in what we do, because we realise that’s the best possible chance that we have.
“We’re coming up against a very good team who are probably ahead of us in a few transfer windows.
“The strength that they have and the depth that they have in their squad is superior to ours. I think it (a win) would be a real statement.”

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Hayes, whose side are second and three points behind leaders Arsenal, have centre-back Aniek Nouwen absent and could be without Pernille Harder, who is recovering from a muscle injury.
And the Blues gaffer believes the threat posed by City’s own squad quality should not be discounted despite their injury concerns.
Hayes, 45, said: “They do have a lot of international players. I don’t think people realise that.
“They may be missing internationals, but they have a team full of internationals and we won’t underestimate that.”
This season’s Women’s Football Weekend is coinciding with the FA’s drive to draw more fans to attend WSL games. 
Football authorities have set themselves a target of attracting an average crowd attendance of 6,000 at top-flight games by 2024 and 1,000 at matches in the Women’s Championship.
Emma Hayes believes the FA’s target of getting a crowd average of 6,000 at WSL games is achievableCredit: Sportimage
However, Chelsea and two other top tier sides (Arsenal and Everton) currently play at grounds with crowd capacities below 6,000. 
On the FA’s targets, Hayes added: “I think it’s achievable. I also think Covid got in the way, and we have to respect that some people, there’s still not quite ready to go out to big events yet.
“But I think as consumer confidence grows and the public feel that they want to put themselves in those situations in more numbers I’m sure it (match attendance) will grow.”
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