Villa Up First For LCFC Women On WSL Opening Weekend
- The 2021/22 Barclays FA Women’s Super League season gets underway this weekend
- LCFC Women are in action away to Aston Villa Women on Saturday (12:30pm kick-off)
- City are newly promoted into the division having won the FA Women’s Championship last term
- Follow the action via the Club's official social media channels, with live match updates
The 12:30pm kick-off in Walsall will see the Foxes officially take to the pitch as a top-flight outfit for the first time, pitted against Carla Ward’s Villans. Here’s all the information you need ahead of the highly-anticipated fixture, which will see fans return to the stands...
The Foxes camp
LCFC Women have enjoyed a packed pre-season schedule involving games at home to Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Birmingham City from the WSL. Further clashes with Sheffield United, Liverpool, Watford and Coventry United also provided ideal preparation for the newly promoted Foxes.
Seven new signings have been recruited into a new-look squad, including former Manchester United pair Abbie McManus and Jess Sigsworth, while Jemma Purfield arrived following time at Bristol City.
Midfielders Molly Pike and Connie Scofield have joined from Everton and Birmingham respectively, while defender Georgia Brougham and forward Abbi Grant also join from the Blues.
The opposition dugout
Interim manager Marcus Bignot kept Aston Villa in the top-flight last term after taking over from Gemma Davies, before a change was made with former Birmingham City and Sheffield United manager Carla Ward taking the hotseat in May 2021.
She will be hoping to improve on the 10th-place finish achieved in 2020/21, when Villa collected 15 points from their 22 games and required a goalless draw away to Arsenal on the final day to secure their survival.
It can, however, be seen as a successful maiden campaign in the WSL, following their own promotion from the Championship in 2019/20.
Ones to watch
Villa made a host of signings of their own over the summer, including England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton from second city rivals Birmingham City and Swiss international winger Alisha Lehmann from West Ham United.
A name which immediately jumps out when you look at the Villa squad is Remi Allen, after the 30-year-old helped the Foxes to win the second-tier title last season, before moving across the Midlands.
Previously of Reading and Birmingham, the midfielder has plenty of WSL know-how and will be able to add a decade of top-flight experience to the Villa side.
Another former Fox who also played a part in gaining promotion from the FA Women’s Championship is Republic of Ireland international Ruesha Littlejohn. The versatile forward left Birmingham ahead of signing for Villa earlier this week.
The Club’s ninth summer signing was announced on Thursday, with 29-year-old Australian international forward Emily Gielnik joining from Swedish club Vittsjö GIK.
Ticket news
Supporters wishing to attend the fixture will need to purchase pay-on-the-gate tickets on matchday. Please note that online ticket sales have now stopped.
Match ticket prices are £10 for adults, £7.50 for Under-18s and £5 for Under-14s.
Talking points
Manager Jonathan Morgan commented in his pre-match press conference: "A lot of this summer’s preparation has been based around mentality, more than physicality or tactical aspects of the game. We’re getting the girls ready to know they’ll have to go into battle in every single game this season."
LCFC Women midfielder Charlie Devlin told LCFC TV: "I feel like we’ve had a good pre-season under our belts. We’ve got a good group of girls and with the team we’ve got, it’s only going to bring the best out of me and the other girls. We’ve prepped well and we’re ready for Aston Villa."
Last time out
Villa last hosted City in a competitive fixture on 7 December 2019, as part of the 2019/20 FA Women’s Championship campaign.
Although Freya Thomas found the net for the Foxes in the 89th minute, goals from Marisa Ewers and former Leicester forward Melissa Johnson, as well as Shania Hayles’ stoppage time strike, handed all three points to the home side.
How to follow
Supporters can follow all of the action on Saturday by checking out the Club’s official social media channels, with live in-game updates housed on Twitter and behind-the-scenes content to be posted on Instagram, while plenty of matchday build-up can be found on Facebook, too.
Pre-match interviews in the lead up to the encounter will be published on LCFC.com, including the thoughts of manager Jonathan Morgan from Thursday's press conference.
Post-match discussions with members of the Foxes dressing room are set to be available on LCFC TV in the days following the fixture, along with match highlights from midday on Sunday, to catch up on all the key moments from the WSL opener.
The game is also available to watch live and for free on The FA Player.
All times BST.