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      Eidevall ‘disappointed’ not to have signed another player in January window amid reported Russo bids

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      JONAS EIDEVALL admits this January’s transfer window was a “difficult one” for Arsenal.He was speaking days after Manchester United reportedly turned down two record-breaking bids from the Gunners to sign Alessia Russo.
      Jonas Eidevall hoped to add one more forward to Arsenal’s ranks ahead of last month’s transfer deadlineCredit: Getty
      Victoria Pelova (right) joined Arsenal this January along with Denmark forward Kathrine KuhlCredit: Getty
      Man United striker Alessia Russo is reported to have been the target of two transfer bids from ArsenalCredit: Alamy
      The second of the two offers, claimed to have been rejected on transfer deadline day, is thought to have been nearly £500,000. 
      Eidevall, 40, whose side are in a race for the title, insists the Gunners did their utmost to bring in another forward. 
      His comments today come two days after Red Devils boss Marc Skinner said United are “hopeful” of agreeing a new deal with Russo.
      He insists United would do “everything in their power” to try and seal a new deal with Russo whose current contract expires this summer. 
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      Eidevall admitted it was a tough task to find a club willing to sell “quality players”.
      The Arsenal head coach told reporters: “I was clear in the window that we needed another forward. 
      “I know the club worked hard, but it was a very difficult transfer window, not to find players who wanted to join Arsenal, but to find clubs that want to sell quality players in this window.
      “That was very tricky, we were not successful, and of course we are disappointed with that. 
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      “Last summer we got one player too little, now we have done that again here in January.
      “I’m disappointed. Over time these things have a big impact.
      “Now we have to look forward and make the best of the situation. I still have a squad with a lot of qualities who I believe in a lot.”
      On Sunday Arsenal, who are currently third in the WSL, will face West Ham away at the Chigwell Construction Stadium. 
      The Gunners, who have a game in hand on Chelsea and leaders United, are currently three points behind their rivals. 
      Eidevall, whose team claimed a 3-1 win in the reverse fixture, added: “West Ham have proven to be a real threat in their aerial abilities especially with (their striker Dagny) Brynjarsdottir. 
      2We knew from the game that we played against them in the autumn that they pose a lot of different threats and challenges to the way that we play.
      “We will need to have a top game in order to get the victory.”
      Meanwhile West Ham have recently strengthened their forward ranks with Denmark ace Amalie Threstrup joining on deadline day from Dutch side PSV Eindhoven. 
      And the Irons have also bolstered their defensive ranks signing former Gunners centre-back Shannon Cooke from US college side Louisiana State University (LSU) Tigers.
      Irons boss Paul Konchesky said: “We knew we had those two additions coming in, so there wasn’t really any stress – we managed to get them both done in plenty of time. 
      “Amalie will give us a lot of work ethic and add experience to the team. 
      Paul Konchesky will be hoping to guide seventh-placed West Ham to their first win in the WSL against ArsenalCredit: PA
      “And Shannon is young, but she’s got leadership qualities that we like. 
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      “She does everything that West Ham fans will love when it comes to defending.
      “Shannon loves to get stuck in, but she can also play out with the ball – we’re pleased to have her here.” More

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      Skinner hopeful of Alessia Russo staying at Manchester United and talks of WSL star’s ‘real love’ for the club

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      MARC SKINNER insists Manchester United have shown “a huge statement of intent” by defying Arsenal’s attempts to sign Alessia Russo. The Red Devils boss, 39, promised supporters the club will do all they can to try and seal a new deal with the England ace.
      Marc Skinner believes it would be huge if Alessia Russo were to extend her Manchester United career beyond this summerCredit: Getty
      The Red Devils forward has reportedly been attracting interest from Arsenal and clubs in the USA’s National Women’s Soccer LeagueCredit: Getty
      Skinner was sharing his reflections following a dramatic transfer deadline day on Tuesday for United’s WSL side.
      The club are reported to have a rejected a second world-record bid from the Gunners to sign Russo following an earlier offer from their rivals.
      Arsenal are thought to have made a bid of around £500,000 before the 5:00 pm deadline for domestic transfers.
      The WSL star, 23, whose current Red Devils contract is due to expire this summer, has been among the club’s standout performers this term.
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      The Man United forward, whose team play Everton on Sunday, has netted five times in nine top-flight this term.
      When asked how crucial it would be to see Russo extend her United career beyond this summer, Skinner said: “It would be huge for us.
      “I love Alessia’s qualities and what she adds to our group.
      “We’re building and helping these players progress.
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      “We’re trying to build them and give them the platform of being really top, top players and why would we want to stop that?
      “We are one of the, if not the biggest, club in the world.
      “For us it’s about keeping that momentum and we’ve got a lot of work to do.
      “But just because we keep Alessia, for example, in this window doesn’t mean that we are given any rights.
      “We’ve got to work, we’ve got to earn that and we’ll keep doing so.
      “But it’s a huge statement for us to say to her, ‘we value you, I value you and we want to build around you going forwards’
      “I’m going to try everything in our power to do so.
      “She has a real love for this club and we have a real love for her.
      “She’s exactly someone that we are looking to keep here.
      “She wants to win here and I just reiterated that she and I have always had this relationship where it’s business on the field.
      “We’ll work towards her being a better player and this club being a better team.”
      United are currently in pole position in the WSL ahead of Chelsea on goal difference.
      And while his players trounced the Toffees 3-0 away from home last October, they will host a fifth-placed Everton side who have won their last three league games.
      Man United will play an Everton side who are currently ten points behind them in the WSLCredit: Getty
      Results for Brian Sorensen’s side, who have Man City starlet Jess Park on loan, include victories against Tottenham, Reading and West Ham in December and January.
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      Skinner added: “We have a tough opponent on Sunday. Brian is an ultra-competitive person.
      “His team are really dangerous. We have to be really at our game this weekend in order to win.” More

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      Fran Alonso hopes Celtic deadline day swoop for Leicester’s Natasha Flint will boost team’s silverware hunt

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      FRAN ALONSO joked Natasha Flint’s prowess on the pitch made him suffer during his stint at the helm of Lewes Women.The Celtic Women’s boss made his remarks after the Scottish Women’s Premier League side signed the Leicester forward on loan.
      Fran Alonso is backing Natasha Flint’s loan move to Celtic to be a successCredit: Kenny Ramsay
      The Leicester City forward will be hoping to notch up more minutes having made five starts in the WSL for the Foxes this seasonCredit: Getty
      Flint’s temporary move until the end of this season, confirmed before today’s 5pm deadline for WSL domestic transfers, ends weeks of speculation linking her to a Ghirls switch.
      Her transfer comes in a season that has seen the forward make five starts in the nine WSL matches for the Foxes netting once across those games.
      However the Salford-born forward, who began her senior career at Manchester City, finished as top scorer in the Women’s Championship during Leicester’s storming run in the 2020-21 season.
      She netted 17 goals in 20 appearances during the Foxes’ charge to the Championship title and promotion to the WSL.
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      And during a three-year Blackburn Rovers spell from 2017 to 2020, Flint bagged 70 goals in 60 appearances across all competitions.
      Efforts include an equaliser against Lewes during a match that saw Rovers hammered 5-1 in August 2019 when the Spain-born head coach was still in charge of the Rooks.
      Alonso, who has previously worked as an assistant to Mauricio Pochettino during his reign 2013-14 reign as Southampton boss, said:  “I’ve known her for a few years and I suffered a few times when she scored against my previous team.
      “Tash is a gifted player with fantastic finishing ability, has great one-v-one skills and very good long-range shooting, so in terms of weapons, she brings a lot to the team.’
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      “On top of that, she brings lots of experience at the highest level and I’m hoping the move to Celtic will add more silverware to her CV.”
      Flint’s move to the SWPL title chasers comes in a month in which Leicester added Remy Siemsen to their attacking ranks the player joining from Australian side Sydney FC on January 12.
      However the Australia striker is currently unavailable for Foxes duty having sustained an injury.
      Flint could be in line to make her Celtic debut when her club who are second in the SWPL take on Aberdeen.
      Alonso’s Celtic side are hoping to win the Scottish Women’s Premier League title for the first time in their club’s historyCredit: Kenny Ramsay
      Alonso’s side are currently second in Scotland’s top tier and three points behind title rivals Glasgow City.
      Celtic are chasing their first SWPL title win, having finished as runners-up on three occasions in the past 14 years.
      Glasgow City have been the division’s most dominant force winning 15 league titles in the past 16 years. More

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      Manchester United reject Arsenal’s reported world-record transfer bid for Alessia Russo

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      ARSENAL have reportedly had an audacious January transfer bid for Red Devils forward Alessia Russo knocked back. The Manchester United ace, 23, is thought be the target of a world record bid exceeding the fee Barcelona paid to Man City for Keira Walsh, according to The Athletic.
      Arsenal are reportedly keen to sign Alessia Russo from their WSL title rivals ahead of the January transfer deadlineCredit: Getty
      It is reported the Gunners’ bid, which has been turned down, exceeded the world-record fee Barcelona paid for Keira WalshCredit: Getty
      Russo’s current contract with the WSL leaders is set to come to an end this summer. 
      Her team have lost just one of the 11 top-flight games they have played so far this season.
      Reports claim Man United’s contract talks with the player have yet to lead to a new one for Russo with the club.  
      It is thought Arsenal, who are currently third in the league, are keen to try and seal a deal for Russo before the 5pm cut-off point for WSL transfers on Tuesday. 
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      However Sky Sports reports the Red Devils have rebuffed the offer made by their title rivals.
      It is also thought the forward has been attracting interest from clubs in the United States. 
      Russo, who helped England to win last summer’s Women’s Euros, has emerged as one of Europe’s most talented forwards following her performances for club and country. 
      The Kent-born WSL star netted four goals for the Lionesses before their defeat of Germany in the Euros final at Wembley last July. 
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      And this season the forward, who began her senior playing career at Chelsea in 2016, has scored five goals in nine top-flight appearances 
      This includes a stoppage time winner during her team’s 3-2 defeat of the Gunners at the Emirates.
      The victory saw Marc Skinner’s side becoming the first team to beat their rivals at the stadium in the league. 
      Arsenal’s move for Russo comes in a month which has seen them strengthen their attacking ranks following Beth Mead’s and Vivianne Miedema’s ACL injuries towards the end of last year. 
      The North London giants, who play West Ham in the WSL on Sunday, signed Netherlands midfielder Victoria Pelova from Ajax and Denmark starlet Kathrine Kuhl. 
      The duo were both on target in their team’s 9-0 demolition of Leeds Ladies in the FA Cup.
      The team will face last year’s contest winners Chelsea in a fifth round duel on Saturday 25 February. 
      Jonas Eidevall’s side, who are yet to win a trophy under their boss, are chasing their first WSL title win since the 2018-19 season.  
      On Saturday the Gunners were reported to have rejected a Blues bid for the services of their winger Katie McCabe. 
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      The club are thought to have tabled a substantial offer for the Republic of Ireland international, 27, according to Sky Sports News and Telegraph Sport. 
      The player, who has made 10 appearances for Arsenal this season, is reported to have 18 months left on her current contract with the club.
      Alessia Russo is yet to sign a new new deal with Manchester United. Her current contract is due to expire this summerCredit: Alamy More

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      Phoebe Warner relishing ‘huge test’ for West Brom Women in FA Cup battle with Brighton as team dreams of upset

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      PHOEBE WARNER is enjoying life at West Brom after the “emotional rollercoaster” of seeing her former club survive a liquidation scare. Today the midfield gem, 22, hopes to help the Baggies pull off an FA Cup fourth round upset when they play Brighton.
      Brighton hope to pick up their first win of the year when they face West Brom Women at Keys Park todayCredit: Alamy
      Phoebe Warner believes her team’s clash with Albion will be a good test of their ability to go toe-to-toe with a top tier sideCredit: Twitter
      In December 2021 Warner was recovering from an operation on an ankle injury she sustained in a training session during her spell at Coventry United Women.  
      It was during that month the Women’s Championship battlers made headlines when they were on the cusp of collapse.
      And in January they were rescued from voluntary liquidation by local businessman Lewis Taylor.  
      Last summer Coventry heroically went on to win their fight to avoid relegation from the second tier before Turner sealed a switch to West Brom last July. 
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      It was a move that saw her begin her second spell at the third tier side. 
      Reflecting on that period Warner, who juggles her playing career with her job at youth charity Powered by CAN said: “It was especially hard for me. 
      “I had just had ankle surgery and so (my ankle) was in a cast at the time and I was on crutches. 
      “When my former team-mates were looking for other clubs, I wasn’t in a position to do that, because I couldn’t speak to clubs and train.
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      “And then the club got taken over and it was like an emotional rollercoaster from then to the end (of the season) to that last game. 
      “It was like a great escape that happened that year, which I think was just crazy when you look back on it.”
      Fast forward to this term, a fully fit Warner has been in fine form for West Brom.
      Her goal tally this season includes a hat-trick in an 8-0 FA Cup third round demolition of Lichfield last November. 
      The midfielder, who began her football journey in Wolves Centre of Excellence at age 10, has been thriving under the management of head coach Jenny Sugarman. 
      It was during a stint at Aston Villa, a club Warner helped rise up to the Championship before their 2020 WSL promotion, that the player encountered Sugarman. 
      She credits the coach with fostering self-belief in a third-tier Baggies side who are currently tenth in the Women’s National League North division. 
      Warner adds: “For me Jenny is the perfect football manager because she instils confidence and belief in us.
      “She was a major factor for me going to West Brom because she was also my coach at Villa. 
      “And with Dave Lawrence our director of football and the people that work at West Brom, there’s a lot of ambition there. 
      “I really believe that one day the club is going to be in the Women’s Super League and competing there because it has got a structure in place.”
      WSL dreams aside, Warner and her team-mates will focus on the FA Cup task at hand when they go toe-to-toe with Brighton at their Keys Park home. 
      Retired WSL heroine Ellen White is one of the players Warner has come against in a past FA Cup encounterCredit: PA:Empics Sport
      At 2pm on Sunday they face an Albion side currently second from bottom in the WSL and finding their feet under their new boss Jens Scheuer. 
      For Warner the Baggies’ match against the Seagulls brought back fond memories of the year the team took on a star-studded Birmingham side in the FA Cup’s fifth round.
      Back in 2017 the midfielder, who was then 16, came on as a second-half substitute against a team featuring WSL aces such as Ann-Katrin Berger, Jess Carter and Euros winner Ellen White. 
      Warner added: “I recalled seeing these players on the pitch and thinking ‘wow’, 
      “The good thing about the FA Cup is that you do get to play against top players you idolised when you were younger.”
      While West Brom will enter today’s match as underdogs, Warner and her team-mates intend to enjoy the contest and put on a show for their fans. 
      Jens Scheuer will be aiming to guide Albion to their first win since he took charge of the team in DecemberCredit: Getty
      The midfielder added: “It’s a huge game for us. It will be a great test because we know they’re going to be a quality opposition. 
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      “This will be a good measure for us to look at them and see where we’re at. 
      “And it’s the magic of the FA Cup that anything can happen and we’ll have a lot of belief. We just need to go out there and deliver.” More

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      Arsenal 3 Aston Villa 0: Maanum nets brace as Gunners set up Conti Cup semi-final clash with Manchester City

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      FRIDA MAANUM’s red hot scoring run shows no sign of slowing as she helped fire Arsenal into the Conti Cup semis.The midfielder was a menace bagging a brace as Aston Villa were trounced 3-0 with the Gunners chasing a sixth league cup win.
      Frida Maanum opened the scoring for Arsenal as they swept Aston Villa aside at Meadow ParkCredit: Getty
      The Norway international was on target in both spells of the game for Jonas Eidevall’s sideCredit: Getty
      Arsenal aim to book their place in the Women’s FA Cup fifth round by beating Leeds next following their league cup quarters winCredit: PA
      And Maanum took her scoring tally to 10 goals in 14 games across all competitions this term.
      Her stunning finishes in both halves were the icing on the cake of a clinical Arsenal display with Carla Ward’s side enduring a challenging night on the road. 
      The clash at Meadow Park was given the green light after an afternoon pitch inspection following five match postponements across the top two women’s divisions last weekend. 
      The encounter saw Hannah Hampton back in goal for the visitors.
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      And Jordan Nobbs started against her old club following her January switch to Ward’s side. 
      Villa held their own soaking up pressure with Hanson walloping a shot high over the bar in the 12th minute before their hosts broke the deadlock 17 minutes later.   
      The opener came with Maanum dribbling into the box and firing home a left-footed shot.
      Villa attempted to hit back immediately with Hanson holding off her marker to let fly from the edge of box forcing a save from Gunners goalkeeper Sabrina D’Angelo 
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      And Kenza Dali blazed a shot high over the bar in the 35th minute before Kim Little’s ferocious strike prompted a stunning save from Hampton close to half-time. 
      The hosts doubled their lead in the 50th minute with a Villa throw-in going awry.
      And Foord capitalised winning possession to tee up Maanum’s top-corner finish.
      The Australia striker got on the scoresheet with the Norway ace turning provider with Foord slotting home Arsenal’s third with half an hour remaining. 
      Kathrine Kuhl and Victoria Pelova were given their Gunners debuts with the duo entering the fray in place of Leah Williamson and Stina Blackstenius.
      Carla Ward’s side will look to bounce back from their loss with an FA Cup fourth round win against third tier women’s side AFC FyldeCredit: Getty
      And Pelova came close to nabbing a dream debut goal following a neat exchange with Kuhl before a swift intervention from Hampton. 
      The hosts saw out the game booking their semis place ahead of an FA Cup fourth round clash with fourth tier side Leeds Ladies on Sunday. 
      A Conti Cup semis duel with last term’s contest winners Manchester City awaits the Gunners with West Ham set to take on Chelsea. More

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      Eidevall urges caution on prioritising undersoil heating over other areas of women’s game in need of investment

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      JONAS EIDEVALL reckons long and short-term solutions are needed to stop frozen pitches disrupting women’s matches. And the Arsenal chief warned against undersoil heating taking priority over areas in need of attention within the sport.
      Jonas Eidevall believes the women’s game needs to consider all areas of the sport that require investment besides undersoil heatingCredit: Getty
      The Arsenal boss shared his thoughts three days after Brighton’s WSL duel with Arsenal was postponed due to a frozen pitchCredit: PA
      Eidevall’s side are due to play Aston Villa this evening in the Conti Cup quarter-finals.
      The fixture comes four days after their WSL clash with Brighton was postponed due to an icy pitch. 
      The match was one of five games called off across the top tier and Women’s Championship because of frozen turfs following plummeting temperatures. 
      Chelsea’s home duel with Liverpool at Kingsmeadow was one of the most high profile fixtures postponed.
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      The game was halted six minutes after kick-off. 
      And events at the match, which saw players slipping on icy parts of the pitch led to calls for undersoil heating at grounds used by women’s top tier sides. 
      When asked for his thoughts on solutions, Eidevall said: “I don’t think that is quite as easy as having undersoil heating. 
      “You have to look at it from all investment angles.
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      “You need to prioritise and there are so many things we would like to invest in in the women’s game at the moment.
      “When you see the cost for undersoil heating and compare it to the cost of having a proper academy system in order to develop more British players – it is not easy to see how you prioritise that money.
      “In life in general, the easy thing is to try to fix the topic of the day.
      “I completely agree with Emma (Hayes) what happened at the Chelsea game to play those minutes was really bad for the league.
      “But when we look at it from a zoomed-out perspective, we need to really see what the priorities should be with investment.
      “We can’t make it emotional and because this was a problem yesterday, that all money should go into that.
       “If you look historically in January, it is a troublesome month to play on grass pitches. We can’t change nature. 
      “Maybe when games are scheduled there there should be an awareness that it’s problematic.
      “I think the solution is the difference between long-term and short-term. 
      “Short-term, it’s communication. Early communication saves fans money and time. 
      “From a league perspective, it saves us from seeing pictures like we saw at Chelsea v Liverpool on Sunday, which is really bad advertising for the WSL.”
      Arsenal are due to carry out a pitch inspection at 12 midday to assess whether their clash with Carla Ward’s Villa side will go ahead. 
      The club says a decision on if the 7:45 pm game will take place will be made immediately after the inspection. 
      Arsenal explored “the possibility” of the match being played at the Emirates but stated it would not be possible due to “essential pitch maintenance” work taking place at the ground. 
      Villa boss Carla Ward stated she was hopeful the game would ahead. 
      Her team, which now includes former Gunners midfielder Jordan Nobbs, have enjoyed a promising start to this year.
      They defeated Tottenham 2-1 at home and nabbed a draw away at Manchester City in their first two WSL games this year. 
      And Ward believes club trophy-winning experiences of players such as Nobbs and Rachel Daly will be beneficial for the mindset of her side. 
      The Villa manager said: “We have senior players who have not got to (cup) finals before or semi finals, so it’s important to tap into those players, new and old, who have had those experiences. 
      “We’ve got to really rely on them, but we’re growing and developing the right way. 
      Carla Ward believes Aston Villa have a good opportunity to cause a Conti Cup upset against Arsenal this eveningCredit: PA
      “We’re continuing to play the way that we want to play and making sure that we close gaps on these bigger teams. 
      “It doesn’t happen overnight and anyone  who thinks it does is hugely mistaken.
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      “We have to continue the process and it is a process, as boring as that sounds. 
      “This game is a real opportunity to hopefully cause an upset and get ourselves into a semi-final of a cup (competition).” More

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      Emma Hayes hopes WSL authorities and clubs can come together to tackle frozen turf concerns

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      EMMA HAYES insists WSL chiefs and clubs should come together to find a solution to prevent the chaos of frozen pitches halting games.The Chelsea boss suggested an environmentally friendly option could be part of the answer to a problem that goes beyond events at the Blues ground on Sunday.
      Emma Hayes says preventing frozen pitches from disrupting fixtures is a matter for the WSL as a whole to considerCredit: PA
      Hayes’ Chelsea side are due to face Tottenham away in a Conti Cup quarter-final fixture on Wednesday eveningCredit: Reuters
      Tottenham say an inspection of their pitch will take place on Wednesday afternoon to determine if the game will go ahead
      Hayes, whose players are due to visit Brisbane Road tomorrow evening for a Conti Cup quarters duel with Tottenham, was speaking two days after the postponement of her team’s WSL clash with Liverpool. 
      The Blues’ match at Kingsmeadow was one of three top tier games shelved due to icy pitches and player safety concerns.
      Tottenham’s duel with Leicester was also postponed along with Brighton’s Sunday night game against Arsenal. 
      Spurs confirmed a pitch check will be conducted on Wednesday afternoon at the ground they share with League Two men’s side Leyton Orient. 
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      In an update shared via their web site, the club said: “The pitch inspection will take place at 2:00 pm on Wednesday.
      “A final decision on whether the match can be played will be made shortly after.
      “We will communicate the outcome of the inspection with supporters as soon as the match official has made the decision via the club website and social media channels.”
      Hayes, 46, has been in conversation with Chelsea’s owners in regard to frozen turf issues which saw the Blues’ clash against Liverpool called off after six minutes. 
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      She said: “I’ve spoken with our owners about it and they share the same vision and the same ideas that I do around the women’s game.
      “This isn’t about Chelsea, this is about women’s football being in a place where we’re working hard to build a fan base, build a business and to build all of those things.
      “This is about ensuring every match happens and maybe that’s something the league as a whole has to consider. 
      That’s about a consultation with the FA and clubs to ensure that those fixtures happen. It should be  non-negotiable.
      “Cancelling games has a detrimental impact on our sport.
      “Whatever it takes to ensure that fans who are travelling up and down the country are not having a game cancelled six minutes in, is something we should all work towards.
      “Undersoil heating – which someone quite rightly pointed out – is not exactly environmentally friendly.  
      “An environmentally friendly option for football pitches in an ideal world, so that we can play in the top division, is what I think we should expect.
      “Let’s hope we can work towards that.”
      Arsenal say a pitch inspection is due to be carried out at their Meadow Park home at midday Wednesday before their league cup duel with Aston Villa on Thursday night. 
      The club stated a decision on whether the game would go ahead will be taken immediately after the inspection. 
      A pitch inspection will take place at lunchtime on Wednesday at the ground Arsenal share with Boreham Wood before their Conti Cup match against Aston VillaCredit: PA
      However Arsenal said that it would not be possible for the match to be moved to the Emirates due to “essential pitch maintenance” work. 
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      When asked what contingency could be put in place in the event of a WSL side having a frozen pitch and no access to their men’s team ground, Hayes added: “Maybe we reschedule winter games in stadiums that we know have undersoil heating for example.
      “Maybe that could be the next step.  More