WSL: Sam Kerr return could help Blues sharpen up in match against Man City

Man City vs Chelsea - Sunday, 12.30pm

Kerr return could help Chelsea sharpen up

Week one and Emma Hayes wasn't happy. Despite being delighted with their opening weekend win over Tottenham, the Chelsea manager admitted her displeasure at the performance.

Laboured, complacent, poor and a step off were some of the words Hayes used. A repeat of that display at fellow title rivals Manchester City on Sunday and Chelsea will be on the wrong end of a result.

Perhaps the return of Sam Kerr, who was slightly behind the rest of her peers in recovering from the World Cup last week, will help boost Chelsea's chances.

Chelsea had 21 shots against Spurs last week and could have done with Kerr behind most of them to get an easier result. With Erin Cuthbert set for a return to the Chelsea matchday squad too, this is a chance for the Blues to send a message to their rivals about depth

Man City still have much to prove

Oh Manchester City. So much promise. Yet, there remains a question mark over this side's longevity across an entire season, because form appears to abandon them in all the wrong moments.

There is no exact formula for winning the WSL - although if there were, Chelsea would have come pretty close to cracking it - but City's recent bids feel particularly unconvincing. They shot themselves in the foot last season by beginning the campaign with two loses, so were always playing catch up to rivals.

Winners start on the front foot, not two steps behind.

This season has the potential, however, to be different. City's style of play is very easy on the eye, dazzling at times, and at their best, they can devastate almost any opposition. They have always had individual quality but, importantly, now the sum of their parts has had time to grow and knit.

Perhaps last season was always viewed as a transition piece - lots of player turnover, transfers from overseas leagues, and the need to cultivate a togetherness that was lost by so many outgoings.

A good start to the new term - beating West Ham with only 10 players - would be made that much better if they manage to shock Chelsea on Sunday. That really would throw the cat among the pigeons

Liverpool must capitalise on another big opening day win

Another WSL opener, another big result for Liverpool. After stunning Chelsea in the first game of the 2022/23 season, Matt Beard's side followed up with a 1-0 victory against Arsenal in front of a record-breaking crowd at the Emirates.

After last season's shock victory, however, Liverpool went on a seven-game winless run, although this did include two enthralling 3-3 draws against Brighton and Reading. They had to wait until the start of December against West Ham to taste victory again.

"We want to make sure that we're not just known to be the team that has just got the first win and that was it," Liverpool midfielder Fuka Nagano told Sky Sports. "We've been building from strength to strength from last season and we want to keep on getting those three points."

Liverpool are live on Sky Sports in consecutive weeks, facing Aston Villa on Sunday before a huge Merseyside derby against Everton at Anfield.

It was in the same fixture last season that Liverpool were beaten 3-0, a week after beating Chelsea. They will certainly want to avenge that disappointment come October 15.

"I think we've got a better squad this time around," Beard said on Sunday, when asked about maintaining consistency.

"We have got the experience of last year. If I go back to the Anfield game, we froze.

"But it's one game. We beat Chelsea last year and everyone was raving about it and then we went on a run without winning. For me, it's just important we keep our feet on the ground

Villa's new-look attack ready to test Liverpool's stout defence

Aston Villa head into their game at Liverpool as favourites despite the conflicting results for the two teams last weekend.

Villa were the best of the rest last season with their fifth-placed finish, and are expecting another strong campaign thanks to some exciting new signings.

With Ebony Salmon and Adriana Leon now at the club, the emphasis will be on adding more goals to a Rachel Daly-led attack.

Both looked sharp when coming off the bench last Sunday so will Carla Ward give them their first starts this weekend?

Liverpool, however, proved how their defence loves playing the spoiler at the Emirates.

An interesting game awaits at Preston Park