The race for survival to reach maximum heat continues at the lower end of the Women’s Super League (WSL) table, with just four points separating seven clubs.
Championship newcomers Crystal Palace suffered a disastrous start to their first season in the WSL, losing 7-0 to Chelsea at Selhurst Park on the opening day.
West Ham United have struggled at the bottom of the table in successive seasons, but a recent turnaround in form has given their campaign a new lease of life. A managerless Aston Villa may appear to be five points clear of the relegation zone, but they are only four points away from the Championship.
Everton continue to battle under Brian Sorensen, and a toothless Leicester City side finally showed some bite after Amandine Mikel’s side took on Chelsea in Round 10.
Unlike the title race, the relegation battle in the WSL is difficult to predict. While it would be easy to say that Crystal Palace are destined for a return to the Championship, it would be a bit naive to rule that out.
Laura Kaminsky showed her managerial mettle even when the Eagles struggled. Despite losing to both Chelsea and Manchester City by wide margins, both games included parts of the game where Palace were on top of the momentum. Palace’s young side are refusing to back down from the fight, and with the dice properly rolled in the January transfer market, their Premier League hopes are far from over.
The Eagles boss recently praised Crystal Palace boss Steve Parish, telling the Guardian: “The support from the board, I can’t speak highly enough. I can answer Steve (Parrish) whenever I want, and there aren’t many managers who can say that.”
Kaminski hopes that this support will translate into investment during the winter transfer period, as the team will need a dose of experience if it wants to stay afloat. Palace will also be keen to welcome back star striker Elise Hughes, who is in the final stages of her recovery from her anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Unless they suffer another bout of bad luck due to injury, Everton have done enough to prove why they should still be in League One at the end of the season. Brian Sorensen continues to fly under the radar, as his strong managerial skills have been overlooked despite a strong set of performances.
The Toffees took a point from Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, before picking up wins over both Liverpool and Manchester City in the run-up to Christmas. The completion of the ownership transfer has already seen Everton move on, signing French striker Kyly Gago from FC Nantes for an undisclosed fee.
As for West Ham United, the club benefited greatly from the winter window last season when they welcomed captain Katerina Gorrie to the club. With the transfer window approaching, Rehan Skinner’s side should be looking to get in on the action. Forward talent Viviane Asseyi has done enough to get the Irons over the line multiple times, and the team will rely on her heavily if they want to stick around this season.
Leicester City may be the outliers, with Amandine Mikel’s first season in charge of the Foxes still showing dire signs. The French manager has many strengths in the dugout, but they have all been negated by appalling luck that has seen almost all of Leicester’s attacking force taken away.
This will be just another case of whether the Foxes can take advantage of the transfer window if they want to become competitive in the new year.
Prediction: Leicester City
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