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      Juventus 1 Arsenal 1: Miedema nets as Gunners stay top of Champions League group by denying Juve a win in Turin

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      JONAS EIDEVALL praised Vivianne Miedema’s fighting spirit after Arsenal survived a scare against Joe Montemurro’s Juventus. Just as it looked as if the Gunners’ were in for another unfortunate night after their loss Manchester United, the striker netted to seal a 1-1 draw. 
      Vivianne Miedema ensured Arsenal shared the spoils with Juventus in their third Champions League Group C gameCredit: Getty
      The Arsenal striker netted a 61st-minute equaliser against JuveCredit: Getty
      Miedema’s second-half equaliser saw the WSL’s all-time top scorer net for the first time since bagging a brace against Tottenham at the Emirates in September. 
      Her goal on Thursday night came three weeks after she was granted time off for rest by club and country before the Gunners’ 4-0 defeat of Leicester on November 6. 
      The Netherlands star was also absent from her nation’s 2-0 and 4-0 friendly defeats of Denmark and Costa Rica. 
      Of Miedema being given time off for a recharge, Arsenal chief Eidevall said: “I think it’s always (about) striking the balance with freshness and having continuity in the training and playing.
      “You obviously need to strike that balance.”
      On the Arsenal ace’s first goal in the Champions League group stages, Eidevall added: “I’m very pleased with her goal. 
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      “You could see that Viv was really fighting hard today together with the team on the pitch and that’s what we need. 
      “You could see in tough moments in the game, where we kept thinking positively, we kept thinking about the next action, we kept thinking team first and that was really pleasing to see.”
      Arsenal, who have been battling with injuries with skipper Kim Little and Beth Mead, among their key players crocked, had the majority of shots on target.
      Stina Blackstenius was through on goal twice in the first half forcing a top drawer block from former Gunners goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin in the 38th minute. 
      And Caitlin Foord forced another last ditch save earning a corner in the opening moments in the second half.
      But Eidevall’s side were caught with a counter-attacking sucker punch with Juve taking the lead at the Allianz Stadium in Turin.
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      And they did so with a clinical finish from Miedema’s Netherlands team-mate Lineth Beereynsteyn who was put through by Cristiana Girelli. 
      But Arsenal, eager to ensure they did not fall to a second match loss in five days, hit back in the 61st minute. 
      Frida Maanum’s corner-kick found Miedema who headed home before Peyraud-Magnin denied Foord a dramatic late winner.
      The 1-1 finish ensures Arsenal remain top of Group C before their December 7 clash with Juve at the Emirates. 
      And it denied former Gunners’ boss Montemurro the chance to get one over his old club who hope to return to winning ways in the WSL against Everton next Saturday.
      Lineth Beerensteyn put Juventus 1-0 up in the 52nd minuteCredit: Getty More

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      Katie McCabe says Beth Mead injury is ‘a massive loss’ for Arsenal and pays tribute to former boss Joe Montemurro

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      KATIE MCCABE says Arsenal will do their utmost to support Beth Mead after admitting it was ‘devastating to see her sustain an ACL injury. The Gunners forward, 27 is set for a spell on the sidelines after suffering damage to a knee ligament last Saturday. 
      Katie McCabe says Arsenal’s players are rallying around Beth Mead following her anterior cruciate ligament injuryCredit: Getty
      Arsenal are yet to confirm how long Mead will be sidelined as a result of her ACL injuryCredit: Reuters
      The WSL star, who won the Euros Golden Boot after helping the Lionesses win the tournament in July, was forced off by injury during Arsenal’s 3-2 loss to Manchester United at the Emirates. 
      Her club, who play Juventus in Italy tonight, will also be without skipper Kim Little and forward Lina Hurtig. 
      The duo are also sidelined due to injuries along with defenders Leah Williamson and Rafaelle.
      The centre-backs are currently working their way back to fitness. 
      The Gunners hope to complete a hat-trick of Group D wins in their third Champions League group stage game.
      McCabe, 27, told reporters: “It’s devastating for (Beth) coming off the pitch with an injury like that. She’s been so important for us over the last few years. 
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      “The high she was on at the minute in terms of her personal achievements, having such a good Euros and a great start to the season for us.”
      Mead, who netted six goals at the Euros and finished as the WSL’s third highest scorer last season, has made an impressive start to this term. 
      The Arsenal star notched up three goals and four assists in seven top-flight appearances and a brace during the Gunners’ 5-1 demolition of Lyon in October.
      McCabe added: “She’s going to be a massive loss, but we’ve got a fantastic medical team at the club and they’ll be doing their utmost to try and get her back (to full fitness).
      “Beth has got great support in our team and we’ll be rallying around her for sure.”
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      Arsenal’s game against Juve will see the club’s players go up against former boss Joe Montemurro, 53, for the first time since he left the Gunners at the end of the 2020-21 season. 
      Since then the Australia-born head coach guided his side to a trophy treble with the club winning a Serie A title, the Italian Cup and the Italian Women’s Super Cup last season. 
      Juve, who reached the quarter-finals of last season’s Champions League, are currently unbeaten across all competitions this term. 
      Under Montemurro they have gone eight games unbeaten at home in Europe this season.
      McCabe has made 100 appearances for the Gunners since her 2015 move from Irish side Shelbourne.
      And she credits her former Arsenal boss for believing in her talent during her early years at the club. 
      The Republic of Ireland star had at one stage considered leaving the WSL title chasers after a 2017 loan spell at Glasgow City. 
      However the Gunners offered her a contract extension and the versatile winger has flourished ever since. 
      Arsenal’s players are due take on a Juventus side managed by their former boss Joe MontemurroCredit: Getty
      McCabe added: “I’m looking forward to seeing him because I’ve not seen him in a while. 
      “I’ve got the utmost respect for Joe and how he helped me grow as a player within the Arsenal set-up when I came back from loan. 
      “He’s a big, big part of my career.” More

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      Emma Hayes praises Cuthbert’s commitment after Chelsea thwart Real Madrid in Europe before WSL duel with Leicester

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      ERIN CUTHBERT may not like it when fans say she ‘only scores bangers’. But her stunning effort helped Chelsea stay top of their Champions League group by overcoming a stubborn Real Madrid side.  
      Erin Cuthbert has notched up one goal and one assist in two Champions League appearances this termCredit: Getty
      Sophie Ingle opened the scoring for Chelsea as the Blues netted twice against Real Madrid at KingsmeadowCredit: Alamy
      It was a hardfought 2-0 result in a game at the WSL leaders’ Kingsmeadow home that until the 67th minute looked on course to end as a stalemate. 
      That was until Sophie Ingle broke the deadlock for the hosts before Cuthbert put the win beyond doubt with a Champions League goal of the season contender. 
      And Hayes believes the Scotland star’s strike is a fine example of her commitment to Chelsea’s cause with her side chasing their first trophy win in the tournament.
      Hayes, 46, whose aces take on Madrid in Spain next month, said: “I don’t think there was a blade of grass she didn’t cover. She was outstanding. 
      “There was a tenacity to her performance that we’ve all come to expect, but by signing her contract, for me that confirms her commitment to the club.”
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      Chelsea went close to opening the scoring in the first half with Niamh Charles’ cross causing problems for Madrid keeper Misa Rodriguez. 
      Just as it looked as if the duel would end as a scoreless draw, Ingle sparked fresh life into the game powering home a 67th-minute header following Cuthbert’s delivery and Millie Bright’s flick-on.
      And the Scotland ace doubled the Blues lead from the right touchline with her strike flying over Madrid keeper Rodriguez and into the back of the net.
      It was a hell of a finish that saw the WSL leaders, who play Leicester on December 3, notch up their first win against a Spanish club after seven attempts. 
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      And Hayes, who strengthened her ranks with some impressive summer signings including ex-Lyon centre-back Kadeisha Buchanan, believes this is the best team she has managed to date. 
      The Chelsea chief added: “I thought two years ago we had a decent amount of experience, but this team is on another level.
      “I’ve said it before, this is the best team I’ve had.”
      Emma Hayes and her Blues will play Leicester City in the top tier before a December 8 clash with Madrid in SpainCredit: PA More

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      Millie Bright relishes Real Madrid battle and backs calls for more away ends in the Women’s Super League

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      MILLIE BRIGHT hopes to see more away ends in the women’s top tier following the intense atmosphere at Chelsea’s last game in Europe.And the Blues vice-captain, 29, is relishing taking on Caroline Weir for the first time since the Scotland star’s July move to Real Madrid.
      Millie Bright says away sections in women’s football are important for momentum in the gameCredit: Getty
      The fans of Albanian side Vllaznia created a raucous atmosphere when their team took on Chelsea at Kingsmeadow in OctoberCredit: Getty
      Tonight Chelsea will play their first Group A game against Real Madrid whose squad includes Caroline WeirCredit: Alamy
      Bright was speaking ahead of Chelsea’s first-ever Women’s Champions League group stage clash with Madrid this evening.
      The Group A game at Kingsmeadow comes four weeks after the Blues trounced Albania side Vllaznia 8-0 at the ground.
      Despite the score their opponents’ enthusiastic away fans provided raucous support throughout the encounter.
      The Albanian club’s fans had been allocated a section behind a goal at the Blues’ fortress which their supporters had pretty much filled.
      Bright said: “I think every player will agree that we want that in the women’s game.
      “It’s intense, but that’s what you want games to be like.
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      “It can change the game and can sway momentum for or against.
      “The fans enjoy it, and it shows what football in Europe is all about and we want to bring that to the WSL as well.”
      Uefa’s Women’s Champions League regulations stipulate that clubs competing in the competition should ‘make at least five per cent of the total capacity of their stadium available exclusively to visiting supporters in a segregated, safe area’.
      However, in the women’s domestic game in England, separate sections for away fans are not offered by all clubs.
      Some away visitors have had to set up accounts on the websites of the home teams their clubs are playing in order to buy tickets.
      And some visiting supporters have found themselves sitting with home fans rather than having the option of a designated section.
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      It is an issue that a number of supporters groups, including Manchester United Women’s Supporters Club, hope to see addressed with the introduction of away ends.
      On Saturday more than 1,000 Red Devils supporters were clustered in a section of the Emirates cheering their team’s 3-2 defeat of Arsenal in the league.
      Chelsea boss Emma Hayes and Ian Wright are among the leading figures in the sport who back the idea of away sections at WSL games.
      Hayes, 46, said: “It’s probably the thing I’ve screamed for the most, I’ve wanted the most.
      “I’ve always felt we have to separate into certain sections, it creates atmosphere. For fan safety, it has to be that.
      “Watching the Man Utd-vs-Arsenal game and seeing the Man Utd fans there in their numbers; this is what has to happen going forward.
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      “Everything that’s happening is a notch up from where the game has been.
      “I think that inevitably this time next year it won’t be a conversation we’re having because I imagine those things will be in place.”
      This evening will see Chelsea take on Real Madrid for the first time ever in the Champions League.
      The Liga F giants, currently third in Spain’s top tier, have lost just once in 12 games across all competitions this season when they fell to a 4-0 home defeat against Barcelona this month.
      Everybody knows Caroline’s technical ability and the magic that she can perform, but we’re just focusing on ourselves.Millie Bright on Caroline Weir
      Tonight’s game will see Weir, 27, in action against Chelsea for the first time since the Blues beat her former side Man City in the FA Cup final in May.
      Bright added: “She’s a wonderful player and she’s gone to a new level since she has been out there
      “Everybody knows her technical ability and the magic that she can perform, but equally, we’re just focusing on ourselves.
      “We know Real Madrid’s threats but equally, we know us and we’re just ready for the game.
      Weir has notched up four goals and three assists in seven games for Real Madrid in Spain’s top divisionCredit: Alamy
      “We’re expecting them to be aggressive with great energy and an attacking presence.
      “We’ve got to be switched on defensively. It’s going to be an interesting game.
      “I think it’s going to be a feisty (game) and certainly one that we’re ready for.”
      Chelsea vs Real Madrid can be watched live from 8:00 pm tonight on DAZN’s YouTube channel More

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      Arsenal star Beth Mead sustains knee injury eight months before World Cup in huge blow for club and Lionesses

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      BETH MEAD has suffered the cruellest of blows before next year’s World Cup with Arsenal confirming the forward has ruptured her knee ligament. The Gunners revealed Mead sustained anterior cruciate ligament damage during their 3-2 loss to Manchester United at the Emirates on Saturday.
      Beth Mead suffered a knee injury during the second half of Arsenal’s top-tier clash with Man United at the EmiratesCredit: Getty
      It is currently unclear as to how long the Arsenal ace will be sidelined following her ACL injuryCredit: Getty
      Mead, 27, was pictured sitting on the pitch and clutching her right leg toward the closing stages of the evening clash.
      The Arsenal and England ace, who was one of the Lionesses’ top performers at this year’s Euros, is expected to see a surgeon in the coming days.
      A timeframe as to how long Mead is expected to be out of action for club and country is yet to be confirmed.
      But the Gunners and England will hope the player can make a recovery before next year’s World Cup with the WSL star among the key figures in the national squad.
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      In a statement published on their website this afternoon, the Gunners said: “Beth is set for an extended period on the sidelines.
      “She will see a surgeon in the coming days, after which further details on timescales will be established.
      “Everyone at the club will now be supporting Beth and working hard to get her back on the pitch as soon as possible.”
      Mead, who has 50 senior Lionesses caps, played a significant role in England’s charge to European Championship glory
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      The Lioness finished as the tournament’s joint-top scorer in July following England’s 2-1 defeat of Germany in the final at Wembley.
      The Yorkshire-born forward, who won the contest’s Golden Boot after notching up six goals and five assists, finished as the runner-up for this year’s Women’s Ballon d’Or award.
      And last October the Gunners ace became the first woman in history to score a hat-trick at Wembley for England during their 4-0 demolition of Northern Ireland.
      Mead’s injury absence is another major fitness blow for Arsenal who also have skipper Kim Little out of action due to a knee problem.
      The Gunners are set for a reunion with former boss Joe Montemurro when they play Juventus on Thursday.
      In addition to Mead being sidelined the club are also without the services of Lina Hurtig and central defensive duo Leah Williamson and Rafaelle.
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      News of Mead’s ACL injury was greeted with dismay from Gunners and England fans on social media with many wishing the forward a speedy recovery.
      Some of the Arsenal star’s team-mates, who include defender Steph Catley, have posted messages of support for her via their Twitter accounts. More

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      ‘It’s taken a long time for players to get paid maternity leave. I’m happy this is now in place’, says Katie Chapman

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      KATIE CHAPMAN hopes WSL duels pull in more spectators during the pause in Premier League action for the World Cup.And the former Chelsea captain is pleased players can now receive 14 weeks full paid maternity leave – a right she believes was long overdue.
      Katie Chapman, who is a mother of three, is pleased WSL players now have a right to paid maternity leaveCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      The new rules on maternity pay came into force at the start of this season.
      Everton ace Toni Duggan became the first English player in the top tier to officially take maternity leave this term.
      After 14 weeks WSL and Women’s Championship pros are entitled to a statutory wage
      Prior to the rule change, maternity pay was offered at the discretion of clubs leading some players and managers in the game to call for its introduction.
      Chapman, who has three sons aged 19, 14, and nine, said: “I’m happy we have this in place right now because it’s important.
      “A lot of female players suffer ACL injuries, and we are happy to help them with rehab.
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       “Why would we not support them in that situation (when they have a child)?
      “I had my first child in 2003 and back then, there wasn’t a lot of support within that.
      “It’s taken a long time to get to the point to even have maternity (leave) evolved into contracts.
      “As women (and football players) we have rights to have children and have maternity leave and to be paid during this period”
      Being brought up by a mother who played at the highest levels of club football as well as making 94 England appearances has seen Chapman’s sons develop huge respect for the women’s game.
      The former Blues midfield star added: “Having three boys and being a female playing football, my kids go to football, and they train and play with girls, and they don’t bat eyelid.
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      “There is not an issue with a girl or a woman playing football and I’m so proud of that.”
      This afternoon the Blues host Tottenham at Stamford Bridge with a few of Graham Potter’s Prem players away on World Cup duty.
      A crowd of around 40,000 are expected – a far cry from the numbers that watched the first Chelsea Women’s game played at the stadium in October 2016.
      Back then Chapman and her team-mates lost 3-0 to Wolfsburg in the Champions League.
      Chapman, who skippered Chelsea to their first WSL title in 2015, said: “I remember that game well as Wolfsburg were the bane of my life back then, but it was great to play at Stamford Bridge
      “The crowd that day wasn’t that great in terms of size. I think it was something like 3,700, but it was great for us to be there.”
      Chapman is keen to see more WSL duels played at bigger stadiumsCredit: PA:Press Association
      On the Blues duel with Spurs Chapman, who made 61 appearances for Emma Hayes’ side in a four-year spell, added: “Everyone loves a London derby.
      “It’s a great match to be played at Stamford Bridge and I believe it’s a sell-out which will be amazing for the women’s game.
      “The smaller grounds we’ve used are more intimate, but we are starting to fill those stadiums now.
      “Hopefully we can keep pushing forward and keep playing more games in the bigger stadiums and we can get the crowds in.
      “We should take the opportunity within this World Cup as well with the timing of it during the domestic season.”
      Blues heroine Chapman, who began her senior playing career at Millwall Lionesses in 1996, skippered Chelsea to two FA Cup wins in addition to a league title.
      Chelsea could go top of the table if they beat Rehanne Skinner’s Tottenham sideCredit: PA
      A glittering club career that led the midfield powerhouse to play for Arsenal, Fulham, and Charlton as well as Millwall winning 28 domestic trophies.
      These include a Champions League crown during a four-year Gunners spell and four league titles. 
      Honours that saw the former WSL player inducted into the Women’s Super League Hall of Fame in October alongside former Blues team-mates Eniola Aluko and Karen Carney.
      This afternoon Chapman’s former club aim to leapfrog Arsenal and Manchester United in the top flight.
      A win for the Blues in their clash with Tottenham, which kicks off at 1:00 pm, would see go top of the table
      The game will be Emma Hayes’ first match in the dugout for Chelsea following the Blues’ boss undergoing an emergency hysterectomy last month.
      The title-holders notched up six wins across all competitions in Hayes’ absence with their victories overseen by assistant Denise Reddy and general manager Paul Green
      These include gritty away defeats of United in the WSL and Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
      Emma Hayes will be back in the dugout for Chelsea when they take on Spurs at Stamford BridgeCredit: Getty
      Chapman said: “Emma is a big person at Chelsea and I’m sure she has been missing in the club since she has been away,
      “But it shows how well she prepared herself for her not to be there for them to run the show.
      “They’ve got the results they needed from this period, and to have her back I’m sure would be an extra boost.” More

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      Marc Skinner praises win that got him dancing as Manchester United turn up the heat on title rivals

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      MARC SKINNER admits he broke out new dance moves following Manchester United’s victory against Arsenal at the Emirates.And you could hardly blame him after Alessia Russo and her colleagues’ 3-2 win ended the Gunners’ unbeaten streak.
      Marc Skinner says Manchester United’s defeat of Arsenal was a huge shot in the arm for his sideCredit: Getty
      Millie Turner levelled the score for United late on before Alessia Russo netted the winnerCredit: Getty
      The Saturday night result saw United claim their first win in the league over their opponents at the Emirates.
      Arsenal looked on course to notch upa 15th successive win after going 2-1 up courtesy of Laura Wienroither’s classy volley late in the game.
      But the Red Devils refused to chuck in the towel showing the maturity and resilience Skinner had called for prior to his side’s previous league outing against Chelsea.
      United boss Skinner said: “When I look at a Manchester United team, famous on the men’s side, it’s about that never-give-up attitude, and we’re going to keep going until the final whistle.
      “We got a full Manchester United [performance].
      “Our job is to bring the women under that same banner of we might go down, but we’re never beaten.
      “That for me is a huge shot in the arm for our experience. Nothing more, nothing less.”
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      Earlier his week Skinner said he wanted brains on seats with WSL clubs aiming to take advantage of the pause in Premier League action to get more fans to WSL fixtures.
      And United’s supporters and their Arsenal counterparts heeded the call creating a lively atmosphere following a cagey first spell that saw Ella Toone give the visitors the lead.
      In front of a 40,064-strong crowd – including a raucous Red Devils away end of around 1,500 – Skinner’s aces put a dent in Arsenal’s title charge.
      They came from 2-1 down with Millie Turner leaping high to head home, taking the score to 2-2 in the 85th minute after skipper Katie Zelem’s pinpoint free kick.
      And that was before Russo nodded in a header of her own taking advantage of another fine Zelem delivery in injury time.
      Despite the win – United’s second in six WSL duels with Arsenal – Skinner was keen to emphasise the result was just three points with the season far from over.
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      The Leigh Park Village chief added: “It’s huge, there’s no doubt about that. It’s huge in the sense of the experience.
      “It’s three points, let’s be very clear – we lost three (points) against Chelsea.
      “I’m not blowing it up that way. But we decided we did not want to leave this game without showing that bravery and personality.”
      After Toone’s first-half opener Arsenal fought back with Frida Maanum equalising with a strike deflected off Maya Le Tissier.
      The hosts looked to boost their firepower up front bringing on Vivianne Miedema in the 59th minute in place of Jordan Nobbs.
      Laura Wienroither then fired the North London giants into the lead with 17 minutes of normal time remaining
      But their rivals hit back with a quickfire double in the space of six minutes before the game was briefly interrupted by two children darting onto the pitch.
      Post-match Leah Williamson could be seen giving a talk to her team-mates with the Gunners facing a home clash with Everton next, while United play Aston Villa.
      The centre-back’s commanding presence was missed on the pitch as well that of her fellow defender Rafaelle and the midfield dynamism of skipper Kim Little.
      The England and Brazil captains are working their way back to full fitness with Williamson pictured back in training during the week.
      When asked about the Gunners’ 14-game winning streak coming to an end boss Jonas Eidevall said: “I don’t think like that, like I said with the title race before I think forward
      Alessia Russo’s injury-time goal for the Red Devils was her third in five top tier games this seasonCredit: Getty
      “We have things to accomplish. I am not going to take the foot off the gas pedal for things we need to work on because we have had some good results.”
      The outcome will no doubt have pleased Chelsea with the club firmly in the race for the title.
      A Blues win against Tottenham later at Stamford Bridge, with Emma Hayes making her return to the dugout, will see her side go top of the table with a three-point lead. More

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      ‘I’ve had so many people write to me who are on a waiting list for a hysterectomy’, says Emma Hayes

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      EMMA HAYES has called for greater investment in gynaecological healthcare for women after undergoing an emergency hysterectomy.And the Chelsea boss, 45, hit out at the lengthy waiting time facing those seeking appointments for gynaecological concerns.
      Emma Hayes will be back on the touchline for Chelsea when they play Tottenham at Stamford Bridge on SundayCredit: Getty
      Blues assistant Denise Reddy has been overseeing the team alongside general manager Paul Green during Hayes’ absence from the dugout following a hysterectomyCredit: Getty
      Hayes, whose team face Tottenham at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, has been absent from the dugout for Chelsea for the past six weeks after undergoing an emergency hysterectomy.
      The surgery followed her “ongoing battle with endometriosis”.
      The condition leads to tissue similar to that contained in the lining of the womb growing in other parts of the body.
      The Blues chief said: “I had six weeks of recovery and I’m still recovering.
      “I still think it will take probably through the rest of this year to return to complete normality.
      “But I’m just grateful to feel a lot better and happy to come into a team doing really well in my absence and just to be around the players and staff again.”
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      Around 1.5 million women in the United Kingdom are living with endometriosis, a gynaecological condition, which can cause chronic back and pelvic pain amongst other symptoms.
      This is according to the charity Endometriosis UK.
      And the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists says more than 570,000 individuals are on the waiting list for a gynaecology appointment.
      In England, the number of women waiting over a year for care has risen from 66 before the Covid pandemic to nearly 25,000.
      Hayes added: “What I realised in all of this period is that my privilege took my pain away.
      “I have health insurance. But my pain and suffering were no different to anybody else’s.
      “Whether it be my 18-year-old niece who suffers from ‘period problems’ to younger women who struggle with endometriosis or polycystic ovaries, there are half a million women sat on a waiting list for a prolonged period to see a gynaecologist.
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      “I don’t think it’s acceptable. I was completely unaware that my own pain was as bad as it was.
      “I was just getting on, being told that maybe it was period pains,
      “What I realised is that we do have enough gynaecologists, trained at least, but there are not enough jobs for them. Why?
      “We need to do more and do better and I decided that (to be open about my condition), rather than just say I’m unwell.
      “It might be uncomfortable for some, who think I should keep that private.
      “But I have learned through my own struggles how little knowledge some women have from puberty to menopause (on this issue) and if I can champion that then, why not?
      Reddy and Paul Green (pictured) have guided Chelsea to six match wins across all competitionsCredit: PA
      “Some days I was in agony going to work.
      “It wasn’t until I had this time to recover that I realised ‘oh my god I’ve been so ill for so long, how many other people are going through this?’
      “I’ve had so many people write to me who are either on a waiting list for a hysterectomy or young people who keep getting dismissed and being told it’s their periods, or people’s partners struggling and unable to help.”
      Aside from focusing on her recovery, Hayes has been looking ahead to her return to the dugout for the first time since the Blues’ 3-1 defeat of West Ham on September 28.
      The Blues will oversee her side with her players aiming to beat Spurs for the sixth time in the WSL.
      A sell-out crowd of more than 40,000 are expected to watch Chelsea take on their rivals in their first game at Stamford Bridge since their 1-0 defeat of Tottenham in September 2019.
      Back then a Bethany England rocket shot gave her team victory over their opponents who are currently fifth in the league.
      Bethany England netted Chelsea’s match-winning goal when they last played Spurs at Stamford Bridge in 2019Credit: Getty Images – Getty
      The Blues chief added: “I was telling my doctors that (my first game back) would be in front of 40,000. I’m about ready for that!
      “I think the club have done so well to be able to sell out — as many clubs have done in the WSL.
      “I’m just really looking forward to seeing the fans and being with my team again. There’s no better place to play than Stamford Bridge.”
      The match will see former Blues star Drew Spence, 30, go up against her old club and boss for the first time since her summer move to Tottenham.
      And the Jamaica midfielder, who made 220 Chelsea appearances from 2008 to 2022, has netted three goals in five WSL appearances for her new club
      Hayes joked: “Of course, I want Drew to be on the losing team,
      Drew Spence could be set to face Chelsea for the first time since leaving the club to join Tottenham in June this yearCredit: Alamy
      “When I think about Drew, I just have pride because she is a huge part of what’s made this team successful and yes, she’s playing for the opponent.
      “But I’m just proud of her and I think she’s having an amazing season.
      “She’s been really impactful for them and just look forward to giving her a hug and saying ‘hi’.” More