Sam Kerr's Electrifying Comeback Revs Up Chelsea's Showdown Against Manchester City

Man City vs Chelsea - Sunday, 12.30pm

Kerr return could help Chelsea sharpen up

In the first week, Emma Hayes expressed her discontent despite being pleased with their victory over Tottenham. The Chelsea manager criticized the performance, describing it as laborious, complacent, poor, and lacking precision. If they replicate this performance against their title rivals Manchester City on Sunday, Chelsea will face an unfavorable outcome.

Sam Kerr's return to Chelsea, following her slower recovery from the World Cup, may contribute to improving the team's chances. In their previous match against Spurs, Chelsea had 21 shots and having Kerr in the lineup could have potentially led to a more favorable outcome. Additionally, with Erin Cuthbert also set to return to the matchday squad, it presents an opportunity for Chelsea to showcase their squad depth and send a message to their rivals.

Man City still have much to prove

Oh Manchester City. Their potential is undeniable. However, doubts persist regarding their ability to maintain consistent performance throughout an entire season, as they seem to falter at critical moments.

There is no foolproof equation for conquering the WSL - although Chelsea came close to cracking it - but City's recent attempts have been less than convincing. Their chances were compromised last season when they suffered two defeats at the start, forcing them to constantly play catch-up with their rivals.

Winners begin with an advantage, instead of starting at a disadvantage.

This particular season might diverge from the norm. The way City plays is aesthetically pleasing, occasionally mesmerizing, and at their peak, they can overpower nearly any opponent. While they have always possessed exceptional individual talent, what's crucial is that the collective strength of their team has had the opportunity to develop and merge together over time.

Last season may have been seen as a transitional period, with numerous player changes and transfers from international leagues, as well as the challenge of rebuilding a sense of unity following the departure of many players.

A positive beginning to the current season, such as defeating West Ham with just 10 players, would be even more impressive if they can surprise Chelsea on Sunday. That would truly shake things up.

Liverpool vs Aston Villa - Sunday, 6.45pm, live on Sky Sports

Liverpool Women

Aston Villa Women

Sunday 8th October 6:30pm

Kick off 6:45pm

Liverpool Women Aston Villa Women

Liverpool continues their impressive start to the WSL season, securing another remarkable win. Following their astonishing triumph over Chelsea in the opening match of the 2022/23 campaign, Matt Beard's team persevered and emerged victorious with a 1-0 scoreline against Arsenal, delighting the audience at the Emirates, which marked a historic attendance record.

Following their surprising triumph last season, Liverpool experienced a streak of seven games without a win. However, this period did feature two captivating draws, with scores of 3-3 against both Brighton and Reading. It wasn't until the beginning of December, in a match against West Ham, that they were able to savor victory once again.

"We don't want to be known solely for securing our initial win and nothing more," stated Liverpool midfielder Fuka Nagano in an interview with We. "We have been steadily progressing since last season and our goal is to consistently earn those valuable three points."

Liverpool are set to appear on We for two weeks in a row, starting with a match against Aston Villa on Sunday, followed by a highly anticipated Merseyside derby against Everton at Anfield.

In the previous season, Liverpool suffered a 3-0 defeat in the exact same fixture, just a week after their victory against Chelsea. Undoubtedly, they will be motivated to seek redemption on October 15.

When asked about maintaining consistency, Beard expressed confidence in our improved squad this time around. Reflecting on the Anfield game from last year, he acknowledged that we had experienced some freezing moments.

Liverpool must capitalise on another big opening day win

It's crucial to remember that this is merely one game. Last year, we triumphed over Chelsea, and there was widespread enthusiasm surrounding the victory. However, subsequently, we entered a streak where we failed to secure any wins. From my perspective, the key is to remain grounded and level-headed.

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Despite the conflicting results for both teams last weekend, Aston Villa enters their game at Liverpool as the favorites.

Villa's impressive performance last season, finishing in fifth place, makes them the top team among the remaining contenders. They anticipate another successful season, largely due to their recent acquisitions of Ebony Salmon and Adriana Leon, who bring excitement and talent to the squad. The primary focus will be on bolstering the attack led by Rachel Daly by increasing the goal-scoring capabilities.

Will Carla Ward give both of them their first starts this weekend, considering how sharp they looked when coming off the bench last Sunday? Liverpool, on the other hand, demonstrated their penchant for spoiling games at the Emirates with their solid defense.

An interesting game awaits at Preston Park.Anton Toloui