Manchester City face a pivotal match at Villa Park tomorrow, with the Women’s Super League title hanging in the balance on the final day of the season.
Gareth Taylor’s side has been strong contenders throughout the season, currently sitting second in the table, separated from leaders Chelsea only by goal difference.
Chasing Emma Hayes’ team down to the wire, Manchester City will need Chelsea to drop points against Manchester United, or else secure an emphatic victory over Aston Villa to clinch the title.
Ahead of this crucial match, City manager Taylor said: “Spirits have been really good.
‘’The players are ready, and the players are hungry.
‘’I can see the light in their eyes.”
Regarding team news for the Sky Blues, Taylor confirmed that aside from those side-lined with long-term injuries, the squad is fit and ready for Saturday’s game.
City enter the match following a narrow 1-2 defeat to Arsenal in their final home game of the season two weeks ago, which ended their impressive 14-game winning streak in the WSL.
And recent encounters between Villa and City have been tightly contested, with City winning only two of the last four meetings so it’s certain to be an intriguing match.
The game will also mark Aston Villa manager Carla Ward’s last game in charge, as she announced her departure from the club earlier this month.
Speaking to the media on Thursday, Ward expressed her excitement for the fixture, stating: “We like playing against Manchester City.
‘’We’ve had good games against them, and they are a team that play in a way that I love.”
She added: “We want to go there and win the game, it’s as simple as that.
‘’I couldn’t care less what goes on elsewhere, all I care about is trying to get maximum points.”
Injury news for Aston Villa remains unchanged, with goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar and midfielder Lucy Staniforth unavailable due to hip and ankle injuries, respectively.
All final games in the WSL kick off simultaneously on Saturday at 3pm BST.
The showdown between Aston Villa and Manchester City will be streamed live on BBC Two.
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